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IDEALS 


OF    THE 


nnANENT  lOl/E: 


OR- 


Tfie  Steps  of  a  5ouf 
From  Sunfigfit  to  Truth. 


LYRICS  ^^  POEMS 


Hope  Haywood 

[  MARY    M      B.    YATES    ] 


Xos  Bnaeles: 


Entered  according  to  an  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  iSg?. 

By  MARY  M.  B.  YATES. 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


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610546 

iLlBRAEV 


preface 


IWIany  of  these  Poems  were  published  in  The  Tinral  Press 
^"^  of  California,  and  The  Sa.n  "Diegan,  from  1878  to  1888 
under  the  following  signature  :  they  are  now  offered, 
with  others,  in  this  little  volume,  trusting  they  may  be 
welcomed  among  the  many  books  of  the  present,  by  all 
those  who  would  fain  bring  this  Life  of  Earth  as  near  to 
Heaven  as  mortals  may. 

They  extend  over  a  period  of  nearly  twenty  years,  and 
were  written  out  of  the  fullness  of  a  heart  striving  to  keep 
alive  the  cherished  ideals  of  a  believing  and  happy  girl- 
hood ;  trying  to  understand  the  meaning  of  the  bare  facts 
of  Life  —  by  robing  them  in  that  Ideal  which  is  the  real. 

They  are  songs  that  would  sing  themselves  in  spite 
of  Fate,  and  have  often  rested  my  spirit  and  helped  me 
—  sometimes  to  a  sense  of  Happiness,  and  to  Strength ; 
and  to  renewed  effort  —  in  "the  good  fight"  always.  .  . 
Believing  that  others  will  find  them  helpful  and  of  good 
cheer,  I  submit  them  to  the  public,  praying  my  friends 
and  critics  will  read  consecutively  the  poems  in  the  dif- 
ferent Books,  and  so  judge  each  Stone  by  its  every  facet. 
I  humbly  trust  that  some,  at  least,  of  the  inscriptions 
may  be  found  worthy  to  be  engraved  on  the  foundation 
of  that   Building  not   made  with   hands. 

Hope  Haywood. 


prelu^e9 

(Written  in  Girlhood.) 

I.  The  Castle  of  Rock 

II.  Silver  Hour 

III.  A  Valentine 

IV.  Hagar 


IMMANENT     LOVE 


Zbc  Castle  of  IRocft. 

(t/l  Picture  of  the  Salt  Mines  of  Poland— ^oo  feet  Interior. ) 

Down,  down  in  dungeons,  are  furnace  fires  ; 

Down,  far  down  below  ; 
Fiercely  they  glow,  those  furnace  fires, 

Down,  far  down  below  ; 
Over  the  hot  and  flaming  heats, 

Is  a  floor  of  hard,  rough  rock  ; 
And  on  this  floor  in  deep,  dark  sheets, 

Waters  stand  in  silent  death. 

No  ripple  stirred  by  zephyr  breath. 
And  cover  the  jagged  rock. 
But  light  will  show  the  snowy  flint 

Of  arching  roofs  and  colonnades, 
The  floor  of  waves  with  rainbow  tint. 

Flashing  bright  in  diamond  sheen, 
And  glancing  'neath  the   sparkles  keen, 

Caught  from  the  colonnades  .... 

Miners  find  this  hidden  beauty 
Wrapped  in  the  Castle  of  Rock. 

The  flaming  torch  reveals  the  beauty. 
Nature — stars  beneath  the  rock  ; 
And  oft  they  launch  their  swaying  boats 

On  the  silent,  surgeless  seas, 
And  wake  the  waves  as  they  dip  their  floats, 
To  Life's  first  eddying  tide. 
As  on  thro'  silent  caves  they  glide, 

Across  the  sleeping  seas.  .  .  . 
Silver  white   are   distant   halls. 

Shining  in  sudden  glare. 
And   as  they  near   the    frescoed   walls, 
Like   gleaming   snow   in    the   glare  ; 


IDEALS     OF     THE 


Arches   and   pillars  of  marble  pure, 

In   mighty   strength   uphold ; 
Beyond  is   still   the  Miner's   lure, — 
They  seek  the  Crystal  Salt- 
Within  this  dazzling  vestal  vault. 

The  mighty  chambers  hold  ! 


^ 


Silver  Ibour. 

(  IVriUen  in  (May,  1868. ) 

Alone  and  from  home,  I  muse 

At  nightfall's  silver  hour. 
And  in  its  soothing  haze  I  lose 

The  weary  clouds  that  lower. 

The  white  ray  lamp  is  burning  bright, 

In  Heaven's  solemn  dome, 
And  wreathes  the  earth  in  tempered  light 

From  God's  great  radiant  throne. 

The  twilght  gleaming  gems  embossed 

On  smooth,  ethereal  blue. 
Display  their  pointed  rays  recrossed. 

And  glory  flames  anew. 

The  wedding  hour  of  day  and  night 

Is  past  —  and  diamond  stars 
Have  sung  the  holy  marriage  rite. 

In  thought's  still  music  bars. 

The  glorious  lamp  —  the  white-browed  queen- 
Rides  up  the  zenith's  arch ; 

An  angel   trims  the  sparkling  sheen, 
And  guides  the  sapphire  march. 


IMMANENT    LOVE 

The  rose  has  lost  Aurora's  blush, 
And  speaks  a  sweeter  thought ; 

In  night's  still,  starry,  sacred  hush 
Her  heart  with  tears  is  fraught. 

The  airy,  aspen  shadows  lay 

Mosaic  floors  of  light ; 
Or  chase  with  gentle  glancing  play 

The  zephyr's  luring  flight. 

Broad  shining  bands  of  twinkling  rays 
Steal  through  the  branches  here ; 

The  quivering  lines  like  magic  blaze  — 
Afar  they  dance  —  then  near. 

Soft  streaming  pencils  paint  the  bowers ; 

The  sun's  carnelian  dyes 
Have  faded  from  the  weeping  flowers. 

Since  day  has  shut  her  eyes. 

The  whip-o-wills  resume  their  chant 
And  wake  the  dreaming  night  — 

Sweet  melancholy  sounds  that  haunt 
The  woods  with  sad  delight. 

Oh,  glorious  queen,  thy  holy  reign 
Can  calm  the  troubled  heart. 

When  Hope's  sweet  moon  is  on  the  wane, 
This  hour  bids  doubt  depart. 

A  peaceful  trust  buoys  up  my  soul  — 

My  Father  is  in  Heaven  ; 
He  watches  while  Time's  cycles  roll  — 

The  darkening  veil  is  riven. 


IDEALS    OF    THE 

B  Dalentine. 

Give  me  a  heart  like  the  lily  white, 
Pure  as  its  petals  after  a  shower ; 

I'll  set  within  a  radiant  light 
Love's  golden  flower. 

This  heart  I'd  bring  to  thee,  my  love, 
Wouldst  thou  accept  the  boon. 

Give  me  a  heart  like  the  sweet,  white  rose. 
And  Hope  be  its  deep  green  leaves ; 

I'll  twine  forever  with  life's  woes 
The  wreath  Hope  weaves. 

This  heart  I'd  bring  to  thee,  my  love, 
Wouldst  thou  accept  the  boon. 

Ibagar. 

The   young   Egyptian   flies  at  night. 

And  wanders  in  the  wild  : 
She   weeps   beside  a   fountain   bright, 

Alone,   an   erring  child, 

And  there  the  Angel  of  the  Lord 
Shines  in  her  darkened  path ; ' 

He  comes  from  her  remembering  God, 
But  not  to  speak  in  wrath. 

Sad  Hagar,  turn   thy  steps  to  home — 

The  Angel  bade  thee  go — 
Thy  Father  would  not  have  thee  roam, 

Thy  tears  no  longer  sow. 

The  dark-eyed   maiden   lifts   her   head — 

Yea,    thou  shalt  reap  in  joy. 
Return  again,  the  Lord  hath  said. 

No  hatred  shall  destroy. 


IMMANENT    LOVE 

She  lingers  but  a  moment  there, 

"  Thou,  God,  seest  me," 
She  calls  the  Name  that  heard  her  prayer, 

And  kneels  beneath  the  tree. 

She  rises  from  the  dewy  ground, 
The  streamlet  guides  her  home. 

Along  the  rocky  plain,   bright  wound 
The  star -lit  wave's  white  foam. 

The  lofty  pines  in  silent  pride 

Their  fragrance  breathe  around  ; 

The  flowers  sleep  and  softly  hide 
On  every  velvet  mound. 

And  Hagar  walks  with  gentle  tread — 

'Tis  midnight's  holy  hour  ; 
In  anger  and  in  fear  she  fled, 

But  now  no  troubles  lower. 

Yet,  once  again,  we  find  her  lost — 
And  with  her  dying  child  ; 

In  agony  her  soul  is  tossed. 
But  Pity  once  more  smiled. 

"She  lifted  up  her  voice  and  wept," 
God's  Angel  called  from  heaven  ; 

Her  frozen  heart  had  almost  slept. 
Despair  and  Hope  had  striven. 

"Fear  not,  for  I  will  bless  the  lad" — 
She  saw  the  sparkling  well, 

A  mother's  heart  can  know  how  glad. 
And  Hagar's  step  will  tell. 

And  thus  when  Life's  bewildering  clouds 
Oft  hide  our  heavenly  light, — 

That  Father  lifts  aside  the  clouds, 
And  stars  the  gloom  of  night. 


3oo\{  tbc  jftret 

A    STONE     OF    JASPER 

I.  Proem  :  The  Newspaper  Poet. 

II.  Sunlight. 

III.  Sunlights. 

IV.  Evening  Star. 

V.  Mist. 

VI.  Morning. 

VII.  A  Game  of  Base. 

VIII.  The  Nestling. 

IX.  My  Rose  of  Jov. 

X.  Old  Time. 

XI.  The  Meadow  Lark. 
xn.  The  Sea  Shell. 
XIII.  Eden. 

xrv.  Bright  Morning, 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

Iprocm:    ^be  IHewspapec  poet. 

He  strikes  his  harp 

Upon  the  lyre  of  Time  ; 

Another  youth 

"To  Fortune  and  to  Fame  unknown;" 

Not  that  the  nations  hear  entranced, 

But  "papers"  tell  his  unsung  songs, 

His  airy,  fairy  castles, 

From  turret  to  foundation. 

And  so  —  he  writes  of  all  his  petty  aims. 

And  gilds  them  with  fine  gold. 

Give  place, 

Ye  fires  and  salt  of  earth. 

And  hear  him  sing  ;  why  not. 

He  tries  with  you  to  tell 

The  pleasures  of  the  chase 

For  happiness  and  truth, 

Tho'  "Peter  Bell"  were  but  the  simple  song. 

And  stilted  learning  —  idiot  laughter  ? 

For  what  if  Pope  did  say, 
"A  little  learning  is  a  dangerous  thing. 
Drink  deep  or  taste  not  of  the  Pierian  Spring." 
The  living  waters  of  the  fountain,  Truth, 
Flow  free  for  all  the  thirsty  souls  who  come ; 
Let  each  a  diamond  grasp. 

Shall  he  not  draw  from  language'  lists, 
Beautiful  words  that  paint  for  the  soul 
Pictures  of  fancy  and  feeling  ? 
Shall  he  not  see  the  summer-day  cloud, 
With  its  gold,  and  silver,  and  blue. 
Its  fleeces  soft  and  its  filmy  veils? 
How  can  he  help,  if  his  eyes  be  true, 
And  his  soul  in  unison  ? 


IDEALS    OF    THE 

Shall  he  not  turn  to  the  shining  strand, 

Where  the  shimmering  waters  lie, 

In  the  noonday  beam  and  diamond  gleam 

Of  light  on  the  wavelets  blue, 

To  the  mountains  grand  that  watch  the  land, 

Forever  firm  and  true, 

To  forest  and  hill,  to  valley  and  dell, 

To  plains  and  rivers  bright, 

To  flowers  that  hide,  and  the  hearts  of  men. 

That  throb  to  Eternity's  height? 

Shall  he  not  hear  the  ocean's   roar, 

Before  the  tempest  come. 

And  gather  pearls  and  shells  of  yore, 

Still  tossed  on  the  breaker's  foam? 

Within  translucent  depths, 

Seeds  and  sea  mosses  lie  ; 

New  garden  beds  of  drifted  sand, 

Fresh  heaped  through  gates  of  coral. 

The  living  oyster  weeps  new  pearls  — 

Precious  drops  on  his  briny  pillow  — 

The  myriad  molluscs  live  and  die, 

Their  homes  in  ruined  beauty  lie. 

Unstayed  by  clinging  love  ; 

But  the  sea  with  generous  hand, 

Throws  on  earth's  golden  shores  of  sand, 

New  treasures  for  our  glad  surprise. 

The  stars  give  light  to  night. 

And  the  sun  his  gold  to  them  ; 

The  rain  to  the  waiting  earth 

Falls  with  its  welcome  showers — 

While  air  and  earth  combine 

To  bring  the  summer's  hours — 

With  song  of  lark,  and  wild  bees'  hum — 

Those  fairies  that  live  in  the  light  of  the  sun 

And  drink  the  nectar  of  flowers  ! 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

Thus  Nature's  children  lend 
And  interchange  their  powers, 
For  the  ruby  wine  of  Life, 
That  lends  its  glow  to  them — 
And  they  that  glow  to  ours  ! 

Nature   is  still  the  vestal   fire, 

Where  Phoenix  spirit   lights   her  torch ; 

That  sacred   altar   whence 

Isaiah's   lips   caught   fire  ; 

Where   visions   touch   the   heart, 

And  the   depths   of  the   soul   are   stirred — 

Unto   the   heights   of  Heaven ! 

Who  shall  gainsay   these   birds   of  Hope, 
With  starry   wings  and   songs   of  faith, 
Who  sing  anew  the  old  and  true? 
Seeking  the   new;    but  the  old  is  true  ; 
Beneath  the  wrinkled  veil  lives  Youth — 
Beautiful  Youth   with    golden    harp, 
On  which  the  Angels  sang 
In  the  morning  hours  of  Life. 

Eternity  alone  can  hear 

All  the  words  of  Truth  ; 

Sparks  —  evolved  from  flints  of  thought  — 

As  yearning  souls  walk  over  Life's  wolds. 

Flowery — bleak  and  barren. 

Then  let  them  sing 

Their  gentle  idyls  that  shall  waft  along 
The  heart  —  as  on  a  breeze  of  song, 
While  glancing  beams  of  memory  play 
Along  the  spirit's  happy  way. 


•  IDEALS    OF    THE 

Sunligbt. 

Beautiful  glory  of  Sunlight ! 

That  falls  from  a  palace  above, 
To  cheer  and  to  guide  the  spirit 

To  an  Earthly  realm  of  Love! 

Beautiful  glowing  Sunlight ! 

That  falls  from  a  throne  above- 
Gilding  our  Earth  with  lustre — 

Like  the  golden  rays  of  Love ! 

Teaching  our  hearts  to  trust  her  ; — 
Warm,  in  the  Sun's  loving  ray  ; 

Rousing  our  souls  to  faith 

In  self,  and  the  newborn  day ! 

Beautiful  morning  sunlight ! 

Waking  true  hearts  and  hands- 
To  work  in  the  strength  of  Hope, 

Throughout  all  beaming  lands ! 


Sunllgbts. 

Sunlight  on  the  mountain ! 

After  mist  and  rain — 
Lighting  up  the  summit, 

And  the  foothill  chain. 

Soon  a  purple  veil 

Will  hide  its  crown  of  snow ; 
Softly  sinking  from  above, 

Through  twilight's  dusky  flow. 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

Anon,  the  golden  glory 

O'er  spreads  the  springing  plain  ; 
Where  grass  and  flowers  hasten, 

At  the  silver  call  of  rain ! 

Here  the  scarlet  blossoms 

Vie  with  green  and  gold  ; 
There,  the  light  and  riplet 

A  sparkling  chain  enfold. 

The  pink  clouds  make  the  mountains  pink! 

My  baby  poet  cries  : 
"See,  mama,  see,"  and  turns  to  bathe 

Her  spirit  in  its  dyes. 

A  soft,  enwrapping,  carmine  glow, 

From  sunset's  tint  of  rose. 
Flits  o'er  its   stony,   rugged   cheek — 

And  hides  its  olden   woes. 

A  fleecy   cloud   of  pink — 

That   slowly   sails — a   floating  mist — 
That  rests   with   love  and  tears 

Upon   the   mountain's  breast ! 


IDEALS    OF    THE 


Evening  Star. 


Beautiful  evening  star, 

Whence  comest  thy  beautiful  ray  ? 
I  shine  by  thy  light  of  reflected  Light, 

By  the  light  of  Love  on  my  way. 

O  beautiful,  holy  star. 

With  the  pure  and  steady  ray. 
Thou  lightest  the  soul  each  night. 

Thou  teachest  the  soul  to  pray. 
With  thy  stead)'  stream 
Of  holy  beams, 

That  come  from  above. 

Like  the  truth  in  Love. 

Oh,   beautiful,  beautiful  star. 

With  your  bright,  your  tender   light, 
You  touch  the  heart. 

With  a  chastened,   longing  glow. 
And  lead  to  the  Love  you  seem  to  show. 
To  the  rest  and  peace  you  seem  to  know. 

No  vain  rest  that  waiteth, 

But  the  rest  that  doeth  ; 
For  the  world,  and  each  loved  friend. 
Thou  shinest — aye,  unto  the  end. 


IMMANENT     LOVE 


/IRlst. 


What  shall  we  do  with  these  dull,  dark  days? 

Throw  them  away? 
Or  make  them  bright 

With  lyove's  own  light? 

These  days  that  seem  so  long 

With  clouds  and  gloom ; 
May  we  do  no  good 

To  make  them  bloom 


With  flowers  so  rare 

That  they  may  share 
In  the  light  and  youth 

Of  To-morrow's  truth  ? 

If  we  but  sow  the  seed 

Today  —  in  the  present  hour  — 
To-morrow  we  may  find 

The  fruit  and  flower, 

The  bliss,  the  peace,  the  rest, 

For  which  we  sigh  ; 
This  is  the  only  way 

To  find  To-morrow's  day. 

To-morrow's  sun  —  the  wished-for  light 

To  make  our  hearts  and  homes  more  bright. 

Live  for  aye  in  Love's  glowing  ray, 
And   find  the  right,  the  only  waj-. 


IDEALS    OF    THE 


/Iftorning. 

Awake,   arouse,  my  soul, 

To  another  God-sent  daj- ; 

Awake  to  the  sun  of  Cheerfuhiess, 
Live  a  strong  and  happy  day. 

Let  Love  the  keynote  be ; 

And  thou,  my  song  and  stay 
And  then  my  evening  star — 

O,  patient  Industry ! 

The  secret  spring  of  thoughts, 
Throughout  the  gladsome  day 

That  rise  like  sparkling  wells 

In  the  current  of  Life's  way ! 

"B  ©ame  of  JSasc. 

O,  the  charm  of  the  dimples 
As  they  hide  and  twinkle 
O'er  the  boy's  cheeks, 
Her  chin  and  temples  — 

O'er  the  little  baby's  face, 
With  a  twinkling  grace, 
They  hide  and  seek 
For  a  fairy  base. 

Like  fairies'  fun, 
They  play  and  run 

From  temple  to  chin, 
But  the  cheeks  have  won ! 


IMMANENT    LOVE 

That  dimpling  dent, 
On  grace  intent, 

Chases  the  smiles. 
By  happiness  lent! 

That  charming  thing 
Is  Beauty's  wing; 

As  it  glances  by, 
It  makes  Love  sing ! 

^- 

?rbe  IRcetling. 

A  baby !  —  a   baby  !     Wonderful  life, 

Beautiful  flower  —  bud  of   Life  ! 

Little  clasped  fingers 

Sweetly  at  rest, 

Close  to  his  moving 

Scolloped  lips  ! 

Little  closed  eyes 

That  lift  sometimes 

To  look  into  mine, — 

To  him  divine  : 

To  look  and  to  listen 

To  sights  and  sounds 

That  waken  his  soul 

To  Life  betimes  : 

Sleeping  —  he  smiles, 

While  the  dimples  peep. 

To  show  the  sweet  beauty 

The  soft  cheeks  keep  ; 

Wrinkled  brows — to  know  his  thoughts 

Wise  little  owl  —  downy  one. 

Who  kens  Love's  thoughts  ? 

Tell  me  not,  he  never  thinks — 

But  watch  his  wee  bit  soul 

Struggle  through  his  eyes'  deep  blue ! 


IDEALS    OF    THE 

/IRs  TRose  of  3oy. 

Topaz  and  emeralds  gleam 

And  rubies  glow, 

In  the  opal  flame 

Of  her  changing  eyes ! 

The  glancing  beam 

Of  a  shining  stream 

Of  merriment,  lies 

In  sparkling,  living  beauty. 

Within  her  clear  and  bright  brown  eyes ! 

The  curls  and  twirls 
Of  her  twining  hair, 
Ramble  and  go 
At  their  own  sweet  will, 
So  soft  and  silky  a  sheen. 
That  a  sunbeam  seems 
To  have  lingered  there  ! 

Hear  her  musical  laugh, 

That  rippling  laugh. 

While  the  dimples  pass 

Like  roseleaves  cast 

On  the  shining  waves  of  thought, 

As  she  slips  her  little  feet 

Thro'  the  cradle's  side. 

And  laughing  tries  to  touch  the  floor! 

O,  Rose  of  mine!     May  you  drink   Life's  wine- 

The  milk  of  human  kindness — and  refine 

In  Happiness,   Love  and  Joy. 

May  your  beauty's  gleam 

Come  from  the  Soul  above. 

And  bless — after  long  life's  eve 

New  homes  of  Joy  and  Love, 


IMMANKNT     LOVE 


©ID  ^ime. 


Old  Time,  how  canst  thou  be 
So  young  and  so  old  ? 

My  life,  it  is  old 

But  my  glass  doth   hold 
The  Minutes  so  young — 
So  young  and  so  bold  ; 

And  I've  wrought  into  gold 

The  sands  I  hold. 
With  Happiness,  sweet  and  fair  ; 
With  her  I  share 

The  Hours  I  bring 

To  the  Summer  and  Spring, 
When   Nature  doth  sing 
In  her  heart  and  home  ; 

The  birds  and  bees  and  flowers,  all 

Join  in  the  joy  that  is  free  for  all  ; 
The  Sun  doth  shine. 
The  Mountains  climb. 

And  the  Rain  doth  fall  ; 

While  Evening's  Star 
Doth  bless  them  all, 
And  fold  them  in  faith 

Till  the  daylight  come — 

Till  I  bring  again  the  Dayspring's  dower. 
Till  Morning  comes,  with  its  glorious  power, 
iVnd  brings  again  a  youthful  Hour! 


IDEALS    OF    THE 


Zbc  /iRea^ow  Xarft. 


Hear,  oh  hear  that  meadow  lark  trill  ; 
Is  it  not  clear  and  sweet  ? 
As  he  whistles  so  soft,  and  trills  and  thrills, 
With  his  happy  bursts  of  song. 


His  evening  song — in  the  pastures  green, 

Where  he  has  rested  today  ; 

With  his  heart  full  of  thanks 

For  every  good. 

Since  his  toil  for  his  food 

In  the  morning's  gold  today. 

His  heart  but  waits  for  the  morn 
To  come  with  its  strength  and  power. 
To  help  him  to  sing,  to  carol,  and  bring 
New  love  to  the  fleeting  hours. 


More  love  I'll  bring,  more  love  I'll  bring, 
To  Earth  with  its  garden  of  flowers; 
Where  a  home  shall  rest  in  every  breast 
That  findeth  my  meaning's  bowers ! 


Within,  within,  is  the  kingdom  of  Heaven- 
Within  your  patient  heart ; 
Bide  through  the  dark,  and  then  the  lark 
Shall  join  in  your  glorious  song. 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

Oh,  hear  him  trill,  oh,  hear  him  trill, 
His  happy,  happy  song  ; 
His  thrilling,  thrilling,  tln-illing  joy. 
His  glorious  thought  and  song. 

His  thanks,  his  trust,  his  love 
For  the  meadows  there 
That  lie  so  fair. 
And  listen  to  his  song. 

Meadows  so  rare 

In  the  sun's  soft  air  ; 

All  specked  with  the  gold 

And  purple  fold 

Of  little  flowers  fair. 

I  will  build  me  a  nest 
Of  the  brightest  and  best ; 
Why  should  I  not 
Gather  this  gold 
That  the  sunbeams  hold, 
And  the  pearly  pearl 
The  soft  winds  twirl. 

He  plays  on  his  harp  with  sunbeams — 

His  music  is  so  rare — 

He  sets  it  where  the  diamonds  fall 

From  fountains  of  living  springs 

That  leap  in  the  air. 

And  the  drops  that  fall 

Make  music  in  his  ear  ; 

And  he  sings,  he  sings, 

He  rings,  he  rings 

His  joy  forth  pure  and  clear; 

Ah,  life  is  a  dower  of  Love  and  of  Beauty  ; 

Ah,  life  is  a  hope,  and  joy  is  a  duty ! 


IDEALS    OF    THE 


Hear  him  !  hear  him  ! 

Hear  that  lark — 

Like  the  light 

Out  of  dark  ; 

Oh,  his  glorious  happiness 

Is  so  sweet,  he  must  confess 

The  power  it  brings 

To  his  soul  as  he  sings. 

Hear  him  !  hear  him  ! 

Hear  him  sing ! 

Oh,  he  makes  such  music  ring. 
To  my  ears  and  heart. 
They  almost  ache 
With  the  thrilling  dart 
Of  sweetness  wrought 
From  Love's  own  heart  ; 
And  I  could  almost  sing 
His  hymn  divine. 

Oh,  bird  of  the  golden  breast". 

Thou  sheddcst  a  ray 

Over  my  way 

This  summer  day ; 

And  I  receive 

Thy  song  and  its  happiness. 


IMMANENT     LOVE  31 


XTbe  Sea  Sbell. 


Bright  sea  shell  what  dost  thou  tell 

By  the  changing  lights  we  love  so  well, 

When  the  shadows  pass  and  the  lights  vinfurl 

The  rainbows  there  and  the  pearly  pearl, 

The  pink  and  pearl  — 

When  the  lights  unfurl. 

The  green  and  gold, 

In  the  rainbow's  fold? 

O,  beautiful  shell! 

Thou  hast  caught  and  held 

Deep  in  thy   cells 

All  the  radiant  hopes 

That  the  sea  can  hold ; 

All  that  the  sun 

Can  give  to  thee  — 

Thou  shinest  them  back, 

So  fair  and  free. 

No  mortal  heart  could  hold 

Such  rainbow  hopes. 

Such  radiant  gold. 

O,  heart  of  truth  ! 

Thou  hast  wrought  in  thy  youth, 

With  the  sunbeams  old 

For  this  fairy  gold, 

This  beaming  gold  —  like  joy. 

Why  dost  thou  hide  thy  heart 

Under  a  veil  of  dark. 

Then  as  we  turn, 

Show  the  Love  that  burns 

In  thy  heart  of  hearts? 


32  Ideals  ok  tun 

So  that  thou 

Mayst  hold  thy  life 

In  all  its  lights, 

And  hold  all  life, 

That  the  lights  may  play, 

That  the  truth  may  show, 

And  hope  may  glow 

And  the  rainbow  gleams  may  shine. 

Thro'  the  cloud  that  the  silver  lines. 

Beneath  the  misty  veil 

There  are  pearls  that  shine, 

There  are  thoughts  that  twine 

All  life  to  some  happiness. 

It  is  there  ;   it  is  there  with  time  ; 

It  is  there  —  it  is  there. 

Then  seek  and  find. 

With  Time  and  Patience, 

Willing  and  sweet  ; 

With  Hope  and  the  minutes, 

Young  and  fleet ; 

He  brings  them  —  aye  — 

To  those  that  weep. 

To  those  that  work. 

That  wait  and  seek. 

Happy  are  we  — 

Happy  ye  be  — 

If  ye  know  these  things. 

And  do  them. 

BJ>en. 

Then  banish  not  thyself  from  Eden, 

Nor  let  another  banish  thee  ; 

Put  down  the  sway  of  passion. 

The  hindering  doubts  and  bitter  things  ; 


IMMANENT     LOVE  33 

Determination  strong  shall  win 

The  right,  and  conquer  wrong. 

Begin  again  the  hills  to  climb,  for  flowers  there  ; 

In  the  light  of  l/ove's  own  sunlight  glow,  and  purer  air, 

Beyond  the  rocks  —  they  grow  more  fair. 

Tho'  oft  we  lose  our  way 

In  dark  ravines  and  valleys 

Of  black  humiliation, 

Stay  not  one  moment  there, 

But  let  the  spirit  shake  her  wings 

And  fly  once  more  for  Eden  ! 

Truth  shall  be  thy  guardian  guide, 

And  thou  shalt  find  her  by,  thy  side  ; 

And  fair  and  bright 

As  an  angel  of  Light 

With  wreaths  and  wings, 

And  sunbright  things; 

Find  beautiful  Earth 

A  happy  clime. 

Where  Life  is  divine 

With  golden  gleams 

From  the  Sun  of  Love, 

With  pure,  clear  stars, 

But  no  fiery  Mars, 

Find  beautiful  Earth 

A  spring  time  glad, 

With  million  hopes  and  flowers ; 

A  garden  old,  with  rosy  bowers, 

Where  peace  and  plenty  fill  the  hours. 

O,  Love  !    Thou  kindling  power  ! 

With  thee,  the  heart  doth  flame. 

Thou  makest  every  hom- 

To  bloom,  and  bear 

The  fruits  of  Heaven. 

Why  SHOULD  a  world 

Mean  Heaven  in  vain  ? 


34  IDEALS    OF    THE 


:fi3rigbt  /Ilborning. 

Then  shake  off  the  dark, 

And  rise  with  the  Lark 

To  the  glory  of  Life  and  day  : 

Hear  the  wonderful  chimes 

Of  Hope's  fairy  bells, 

That  ring  through  the  air 

As  the  golden  glare 

Spreads  over  the  Eastern  way. 

Hear  the  Linnet  sing 

As  the  white  rays  bring 

A  tinge  of  red  to  his  breast. 

See  the  mountain's  hue. 

Forever  true  blue, 

In  the  light  of  the  coming  day ; 

With  dazzling  folds, 

And  fleeces  of  gold, 

It  softly,  and  lightly,  and  surely  holds. 


Then  up  before  the  sunbeams. 

To  scan  the  happy  ways  ; 

Before  they  are  forgot, 

And  lost  in  later  blaze 

That  hides  the  best  of  beauty — 

The  early  Morning  beauty. 

Replete  with  Hope,  and  Love  and  Duty. 

Listen  to  the  Lark — Listen  to  the  Linnet ; 

The  Mountain  Lark,  the  Meadow  Lark, 

That  love  the  sun  and  sing  it! 

Ah  !  sweet,  why  here  ?     Ah  !  Life  is  dear- 

This  is  our  only  hope — our  immortality  ; 


IMMANENT    LOVE 

And  now  we  trill — for  Happiness 

Is  our  only  hope  of  bliss  ; 

We  cannot  be  banished  from  Eden, 

For  Earth  is  our  Garden  and  Heavenly  Home  ; 

While  there  is  Sunshine  and  Youth — 

While  there  is  Effort  and  Truth  ; 

While  there  is  Love  to  forgive  — 

Love  to  forgive  and  forget  ; 

While  there  is  Patience  and  Hope, 

To  cheer  the  nights  long  hours. 

Earth  may  have  Eden's  own  beautiful  bowers. 

With  her  light  and  her  peace, 

Her  fruits  and  her  flowers, 

Her  fountains  of  youth. 

Her  springs  of  truth, 

And  sparkling  streams  of  jo.y  '. 


'Book  tbe  Sccon^ 


A 

STONE    OF    SAPPHIRE 

^ 

I. 

The  Poet's  Dream. 

II. 

Song  oe  the  Stars. 

III. 

Labor,  Hope  and  Truth 

IV. 

War. 

V. 

Eden. 

VI. 

Error. 

VII.      "There  Shall  Be  No  More  War, 


IMMANENT     LOVE  39 


Zbc  ipoct's  2)ream. 

I  have  found  a  truth  —  I  have  found  a  star  ; 

It  is  a  poet's  dream  —  dream  of  a  star; 
A  star  of  youth  and  beauty, 

A  star  of  love  and  duty  ; 
A  star  of  light  that  shines  thro'  this  night 

And  hideth  all  its  gloom  ; 
It  is  the  star  of   Hope  — 

Of  Hope  and  Song. 

I  read  the  truth  by  the  light  of  a  star  — 

The  star  of  Hope  and  Song; 
I  read  the  truth  by  the  light  of  a  star  — 

A  star  that  shall  do  no  wrong. 
A  gleam,  a  ray,  a  line  of  light, 

A  glimmer  of  truth  like  a  star  ; 
Yea  —  Heaven's  own  light  shall  be  more  bright 

While  my  star  shines  for  the  Right. 

I  read  the  truth  by  the  light  of  a  star  — 

The  star  of  Hope  and  Song ; 
I  read  the  truth  by  the  light  of  a  star  — 

A  star  that  shall  do  no  wrong. 
My  mission  is  here  to  help, 

To  help  the  world  with  a  song. 
To  help  the  earth  —  with  a  rosy  veil 

I  beautify  her  thorns. 


4°  IDEALS    OF    THE 


Song  Of  tbe  Stars. 

Now  stars  are  stealing  forth, 

Paled  by  the  sunset's  glow, 
They  come  like  modest  worth, 

But  flashing  truth  must  show  ; 
And  soon  like  living  beams 

Those  gems  and  jewels  gleam, 
And  silent  anthems  flow, 

While  Night  sits  listening, 
Hushed  and  rapt, 

By  music  glad  and  slow. 

vStill  on  that  field  of  blue 

The  stars  come  trooping  thro' 
The  crystal  aisles  of  Heaven 

With  flashing  scimetars  ; 
Their  jewelled  sword-hilts  gleam, 

Then,  silent  as  a  dream, 
They  stand  —  with  brows  serene 

And  glory  never  dim  — 
While  all  the  host  are  voicing 

Their  grand  eternal   hymn. 

They  sing  of  old  Earth's  youth. 

Of  Nature's  holy  truth 
Since  Time  began  to  love 

Her  spirit's  varied  grace  ; 
They  sing,  with  heavenly  face, 

That  Joy's  abiding  place 
Is  with  the  spirit  Love , 

Has  hovered  o'er  the  Earth 
Since  Nature  gave  her  birth. 

And  sung  with  star  and  dove. 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

Yea,  Joy  shall  shout  and  sing 

With  all  the  sons  of  God, 
When  gentleness  shall  spring 

From  every  soul  and  sod, 
Yea,  Earth  shall  sing  with  stars. 

When  she  shall  know  no  wars, 
When  Love  shall  softly  fling 

A  halo  round  each  brow 
And  gifts  of  incense  bring, 

Alas,  too  costly  now? 

Ah,  Love,  thine  is  a  costly  gleam, 

Thine  is  a  costly   glow, 
And  oft  I  hear  thee  chant 

A  requiem  sad  and  slow 
For  Duty  lost  and  cold 

In  Pleasure's  selfish  hold. 
Lost  —  lost  —  so  sad  and  sweet ; 

Ah,  nevermore  our  souls  may  meet. 
That  waiting  one  we  would  not  greet. 

And  we  must  dwell  in  lowlier  seat. 

Xabor,  Ibope  anD  C^rutb. 

Labor,  Hope  and  Truth 

Are  ways  and  means  to  noble  ends ; 
They  are  the  sunlight  beams  of  youth. 

And  with  them  Life  with  Heaven  blends. 

Labor,  Hope  and  Truth  ; 

They  are  the  burdens  of  Life's  Song ; 
Eternal  eflForts  of  true  Life, 

That  unto  each  and  all  belong. 


42  IDEALS    OF    THE 

And  words  of  Life  are  words  of  Nature 
Spoken  to  our  hearts  and  eyes ; 

They  are  the  after-hj'mns  of  Truth, 
And  daily  joineth  every  creature. 

Labor,  Hope  and  Truth 

Find  Heaven  a  fireside 
Where  happiness  and  Home 

And  swift-winged  Love  abide. 

And  oh,  how  bright  this  life. 

True  life  with  its  aspirations, 

With  sweet  content  and  progress  blent, 
When  war  no  more  the  nations! 


mar. 

O,  War !  Thou  art  the  grief  of  nations ; 
What  men  in  noble  stations 
Shall  now  take  up  the  pitying  strain 
Nor  let  a  world  mean  Heaven  in  vain  ? 
For  aught  we  know  there  is  no  bliss 
For  those  who  make  no  Heaven  of  this. 

Proud  men,  if  ye  are  gods. 
Will  ye  be  as  Lucifer  ? 
And  knowing  evil,  choose  ye  well, 
To  choose  not  Heaven,  but  Hell? 

For  War  is  pain  and  War  is  woe ; 
Are  there  no  arbiters 

Between  Earth's  peaceful  million  homes. 
Than  those  who  bid  blood  flow? 


IMMANENT     LOVE  43 

Oh  !     Is  there  naught  but  sell  and  gain  ? 

Is  it  for  this  the  cries  of  the  slain  ? 

Why  do  ye  push  men  into  Hell 

When  ye  might  leave  them  in  Heaven  as  well  ? 

For  pain  is  Hell  —  of  body  or  soul  — 
Ihat  is  what  the  spirit  hath  told  ; 
And  Earth  with  her  jars  is  a  fiery  Mars 
With  men  and  fiends  to  lead  its  wars. 

Our  homes  shall  be  the  Heaven, 

That  unto  us  is  given  ; 

The  old  Earth  in  the  arms  of  Light, 

As  seems  the  rising  moon  to-night, 

While  points  the  evening  star  —  to  Right. 

Take  up  and  sing  the  sweet  refrain, 

That  Earth  shall  yet  be  Heaven's  gain. 

With  lightsome  wing  the  spirit  flies 
From  flower  to  tree,  from  tree  to  skies  ; 
She  skims  and  soars  with  birdlike  ray 
O'er  sea  and  land,  then  far  away 
Thro'  all  the  ether's  blue  gemmed  space, 
To  find  that  loved  familiar  place, 
Called  Heaven,  but  not  one  star 
Doth'^eem  so  dear  as  Earth  —  home  star  ! 

Then  shall  we  not  God's  peace  restore, 
Down  hideous  War,  and  sin  no  more  ? 
Shall  man  be  fiend  and  not  be  god  ? 
Doth  Eden  lie  beyond  red  blood. 
The  blood  of  all  men's  brotherhood? 
Forbid  it.  Shame !     Come  once  more,  God. 
And  place  man  in  the  home  of  Love. 
Ah,  no  !     An  agent  free  must  choose 
Himself  a  home  —  to  keep  or  lose. 


IDEALS    OF    THE 


j£Den. 


Love's  garden  old,  where  man  so  bold, 

Has  left  us  out,  since  Eve  once  told 

This  truth  —  that  for  Adam's  sake, 

She  dared  do  wrong  —  tho'  her  heart  must  break 

And  her  home  be  lost  in  Eden  ! 

But  men  shall  awake 
To  this  truth  for  Love's  sake, 
That  home  and  peace  are  Eden  ; 
Not  Eden  alone  for  a  selfish  soul. 
But  for  Earth  —  and  all  her  heathen! 


:error. 

Ah,  Right  should  have  the  strength  of  Might, 

And  with  a  heart  as  hard  as  steel — 

As  soft  as  Love — yet,  true  as  steel, 

Be  able  to  stand  firm, 

Nor  ever  waver  at  the  dart 

Dealt  by  some  careless,  faithless  heart 

That  strikes  to  ruin  Hope  aud  Heaven 

At  one  fell  blow ;   at  one  dread  blow. 

Would  thrust  the  Right 

Back  to  a  greater  woe. 

Ah,  Love!    Thou  sacred  power. 
May  we  know  thy  truth. 
And  feel  thy  strength 
In  this  trying  hour. 

I  will  not  doubt  man's  truth, 
I  will  not  doubt  his  arm, 
I  will  not  doubt  his  strength 
To  right  the  wrong. 
To  save  from  harm : 


IMMANENT     LOVE  45 

But  now  we  must  watch  all  the  ways 

Thm'  all  the  blaze 

Of  fiery  trials, 

And  lift  up  Love's  truth, 

Tho'  it  lie  in  the  dust. 


* 


**G;bere  Sball  3Be  IRo  /Iftore  Mar." 

Fair  Earth  shall  be  the  haven,  Eden, 
Where  winds  and  waves  at  starry  even' 
Sigh  and  rest,  and  twilight  brings 
The  voice  of  song  and  softly  flings 
The  light  of  Heaven's  brightest  star 
On  ways  of  Peace  and  balmy  quiet, 
A  garden  old  where  poets  walk  — 
Oft  walk  with  God,  and  learn 
That  Earth  means  Heaven, 
Would  men  but  find 
Sweet  Peace  and  rest. 
Would  men  but  choose 
Sweet  Peace  and  Eden. 

Joy  I    Joy !    Ring  the  bells ! 

For  Earth  shall  be  free! 

Sing,  sing  j^e  wells, 

And  mountains  with  me! 

0,  might  I  express. 

In  its  truthfulness, 

The  bliss  and  the  rest  of  the  free! 

Free  from  the  pain 

Of  a  hope  —  not  in  vain. 

Since  Peace  shall  be  found 

On  the  Earth  once  again ! 

Yea,  Peace  shall  be  Earth's, 

And  Heaven  her  gain ! 


Book  tbc  ^birb 

A  STONE  OF  CHALCEDONY. 


I.  Dumb. 

II.  The  Cry  of  the  Heart. 

III.  Alpha  and  Omega. 
lY.  Life. 

V.  Mortal  and  Immortal. 

VI.  Clearer  Vision. 


IMMANENT     LOVE 


2)umb. 


Oh,  God!  how  canst  Thou  let  Thy  creatures  be 
For  mat! — in  pain,  in  helpless  agony  ? 
Surel3%  for  them  there  is  no  God 
But  fiendish  power — and  man,  their  God! 

Wounded  and  dumb — 

Poor  suffering  one! 

'Tis  Torture's  hour. 

O,  evil  power! 

Sweet  Pit}^  drops 

Her  faltering  tears 

Upon  thy  lot — 

Upon  a  grave  of  happiness ! 

Thy  spirit  is  broken ; 
Oh,  give  some  token 
Thou'lt  conquer  the  spell 
So  fatal,  so  fell: 
Thou  hast  a  sorrow 
That  knoweth  no  morrow ; 
Oh,  will  the  power 
To  spring  from  the  grave! 
Oh,  will  the  power 
To  w^ait ;    be  brave. 
Oh,  find  some  hope 
That  yet  is  left 
For  thy  poor  heart  lost 
In  this  wilderness 
Of  pain  and  woe  ; 
This  depth  of  pain. 
This  depth  of  woe! 


5C 


IDEALS    OF    THE 

Thou  j'et  maj''st  know 

Some  other  hour, 

Some  waiting  joy, 

Some  glorious  power; 

Some  heart  caress. 

Life's  tenderness; 

Some  love-note  pure 

That  shall  endure; 

It  waiteth  long 

But  it  waiteth — aye. 

For  the  hurt  and  the  wrong! 

Ah,  can  ye  know 
Our  wretched  power 
For  pain  and  woe  ? 

Our  helplessness  ? 

Ah!  Nature,  bless 

This  poor  heart's  bitter. 

Deep  distress; 

Time,  with  thy  loving  hand. 

To  lift  this  wretched  doom — 

Fly  fast,  come  soon  I 

Fling  care  to  the  wing ! 
Tomorrow  ma}-  bring 
For  this  bitter  pain 
Some  sweet  alloy. 
Some  gentle  joy; 
Life  may  be  Sorrow — 
But  Life  may  be  Joy ! 
Lite  may  bring  Death, 
But  Death  may  bring  Joy! 

Ah,  ye  who  can, 
The  brave  and  strong, 
Still  lend  a  hand-r 
To  Happiness; 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

The  Earth  hath  need, 

And  dumb  souls  bleed. 

Lend,  lend  thy  hand 

To  Happiness, 

Thy  faithful  arm  to  helplessness ; 

Remove  some  pain. 

Some  bitterness ; 

The  Earth  hath  need, 

And  dumb  souls  bleed. 


* 


^bc  Cr^  ot  ^be  Ibeart. 

Love  we  our  God  ?    Nor  day,  nor  night 
Can  hide  from  men  the  hilltop  light ; 
Our  pain  shall  be  the  strength  of  God, 
Our  love  shall  be  the  truth  of  God. 

Oh,  that  pleading  human  cry. 
Pleading  for  a  Father's  love ; 
Does  He  hear  Earth's  children  cry, 
The  helpless  ones?    What  bitter  pain 
To  see  a  cripple's  wretched  chain  — 
An  idiot's  pall  —  thrown  instantly 
Over  a  blind  heart's  beating  love, 
Because  He  lets  it  fall ! 
He  held  not  back  the  hand  of  Fate! 
Ah,  Tell  me;   Is  this  my  Father's  Love? 
If  I  but  knew  I  could  submit. 

Yet,  should  we  lean  in  fear  of  harm, 

On  God's  light  human  arm, 

Not  all  the  yearning  Earth  could  save 

From  Death's  lone  sea  nor  trouble's  wave. 

Held  fast,  why  do  we  struggle 

Within  the  toils  of  Fate  or  God's  more  stern  command  ? 


52  IDEALS    OF    THE 

Deep  is  Death's  river  and  dark, 

Dreadful  and  dark  the  ocean  of  Doubt  — 

We  are  storm-tossed,  but  calm  is  our  sleep 

After  the  waters  are  crossed. 

Cease,  cease,  vain  soul,  for  Grief  mast  pray 

Thou  knowest!    Yea,  our  God, 

Doth  our  affliction  know! 

And  oh,  poor  lonely  heart, 

'Tis  blessed  faith  can  say — 

No  other  God  is  like  to  thine, 

No  finel}'  spun  philosophy: 

Thy  Comforter!   The  conscious  God, 

That  knoweth  all  the  way! 

Hold  fast  thy  faith, 

Thine  anchor  need  not  move, 

Earth  cannot  prove 

Thy  Guardian  is  not  thine; 

Yea,  Christ  affliction's  way  did  know. 

And  Holy  Spirit,  Thou  dost  know! 


Blpba  an&  ©mega. 

Oh,  God!  that  we  might  trust! 
That  we  might  rest  in  Thee. 
Then  must  we  trust 
In  Nature,  as  in  Thee! 
Nature,  Almighty  Power, 
That  doth  create  and  bless 
Her  Universe, 
Is  the  Eternal  Alpha! 
To  her  flowers  she  dowers 
An  instinct  for  her  light, 
While  to  each  soul  she  says — 
I  also  am  the  great  "I  Am;"' 


IMMANENT     LOVE  53 


God  is  the  thought, 

My  presence  lends  to  thee; 

God's  Spirit  is  the  love  of  good; — 

Choose  ye,  my  children,  always,  Good. 

Rest !  rest  on  Nature's  breast. 

Upon  the  holy  arm  of  Love, 

The  patient  strength  of  Duty : 

This  is  the  God  I've  taught  ye, 

Taught  ye  this  glorious  Beauty, 

And  gave  ye  mind  and  heart 

To  help  me  in  my  work; 

To  do  your  part 

To  bless  mankind ; 

To  be  the  sons  of  Good — 

The  brothers  of  a  Christ ; 

Loving  the  poor  and  lowly, 

Helping  the  weak; 

Rejoicing  and  giving  sympathy ; 

Praising  my  lilies, 

Blessing  all  little  ones. 

And  in  every  Garden  of  Gethsemane, 

Drinking  the  bitter  cup, 

I  send  thee — 

Till  the  Day  dawn ; 

Finding  the  Peace  of  Christ 

To  stead  thee;   that  spiritual  peace 

Gvien  to  those  who  seek ; 

In  the  nature  of  things. 

In  the  knowledge  of  things — it  lieth, 

Nature  and  God  are  One  upon  the  heights; 

Nature  is— that  Infinite  Intelligence 

Thou  canst  not  comprehend  ; 

Is  she  not  worthy  to  be  feared  and  loved' 

Fear  her  judgments — love  her  grace — 

She  hath  apportioned  all  a  place ; 

She  lends  herself  to  Man. 


54  IDEALS    OF    THE 

She  crowns  him  as  her  glory ; 
Yea,  Christ  is  her  Omega, 
Her  highest,  best  and  last. 
She  hath  lent  unto  her  children — 
Canst  thou  not  thus  lend 
Unto  thy  brother's  keeping 
What  thou  may'st  shortlr  gather 
Before  Death's  fiat  call  thee? 
Rest !  rest  thee  and  submit 
To  the  inevitable. 


^ 


life. 

And  if  this  world  were  all, 

Yet  would  I  willing  sooner  sleep 

Beneath  Death's  awful  curtain  deep. 

And  bid  farewell  to  Life, 

With  all  its  sweet  redeeming  promises  ? 

To  Nature's  kindly  face. 

That  has  so  often  smiled  ? 

That  real  and  loving  Presence, 

That  doth  encircle  worlds  and  men  ? 

Oblivion?    I  would  not  say  farewell 

Until  I  must;  I  love  thee.  Life, 

As  God,  Himself;  and  it  is  Nature's  will, 

That  men  should  love  her;  love  sweet  Life 

And  live,  aspiring  to  some  noble  end, 

Enduring  all  that  Fate  shall  send. 

Find  heavenly  Mercy's  world-wide  work  to  do, 

Refine  and  purify ;  evolve  the  true, 

And  patient,  wait  as  Nature  waits. 

Upon  her  own  true  force  and  plan. 


IMMANENT     LOVE  55 

Live!    Live  for  Earth's  future! 

Let  thine  influence  be 

An  onward  ray  of  Hght 

That  shall  shed  light  on  other  souls; 

A  golden  star, 

That  circles  to  its  utmost  verge 

To  help  and  save. 

There  shall  be  many  saviours, 

Many  stars  to  light  dark  souls. 

For  Christ  loved  not  himself. 

But  all  the  world. 

Wouldst  thou  not  then 

Thus  glorify  Omega. 

For  Nature  will  no  more ; 

She  only  gives  thee  sweetest  Life 

And  Time;   thy  friends, 

Thy  children,  DutA^,  and 

The  knowledge  of  her  face. 

Then  prize  them  while  they  last ; 

Prize  Life  and  Love 

With  all  their  sweet  and  great  rewards! 


/Dbortal  an&  Hmmortal. 

Our  darling  babes  are  not  immortal  then? 

Nor  Nature's  flowers;   but  yet 

She  spares  not  them  to  love  and  bless 

Her  life,  her  home,  her  hours ; 

Life  takes  our  babes  for  flowers 

As  fair  as  those  in  Eden's  bowers, 

And  keeps  their  happiness  as  sweet  perfume, 

Both  when  they're  here  and  when  they're  gone  I 


56  IDEALS     OF    THE 

Not  knowingly,  perchance  you  say, 

Hath  Nature  wrought  her  gods  of  cla)' ; 

Atomic  force,  3'ou  recognize. 

In  all  her  handiwork,  and  man. 

Her  highest  form  of  Thought ; 

How  know  you  that  the  questioning  soul  replies; 

How  know  you  who  may  think  beyond  the  skies? 

Attraction  is  a  law  and  Thought, 

Imponderable  force ; 

Since  Nature  has  thus  formed  this  world  and  things, 

If  other  worlds  beyond  have  life  that  sings. 

According  to  Love's  high   behest. 

Perhaps  we  have  some  other  tryst. 

Where  subtle  Thought  and  souls  may  meet, 

And  something  else  of  Nature  greet. 

When  we  have  crossed  Death's  midnight  sea, 

Our  loved  and  lost  at  home  may  be 

'Mong  other  lives  —  allowed  to  learn 

How  immanent  the  Love  that  burns! 

There  we  may  learn  new  ways  of  God, 

And  find  new  meanings  for  Earth's  sod; 

For  there  we  know,  in  God's  far  sight, 

Suns  still  divide  the  Dark  from  Light: 

Unknown  to  us,  yet  with  dear  Life's  sweet  grace, 

May  fly  —  thro'  God's  far-reaching  space, 

Where  other  worlds  in  radiance  swing  — 

His  Angel  t3'pes,  who  teach  and  sing, 

Intent  on  Love's  work,  as  it  rolls. 

Upholding  stars  and  helping  souls ! 


IMMANENT    LOVE  57 


Clearer  Dision. 


And  those  we  mourned  when  Death  had  called  them, 

How  sweet  to  think 

They  sometimes  come  and  give  a  thought  to  us  I 

That  while  we  grow  to  clearer  vision — 

And  toil  along  the  yeai's, 

And  farther  up  the  way — 

They  sometimes  come  and  turn  our  thoughts, 

And  thereby  set  us  tasks 

That   we  think  self-imposed  ! 

They,  with  their  clearer  vision 

From  heights  supernal,  in  immortal  airs,    ' 

Would  fain  help  still  the  human  race, 

Their  olden  friends  and  kindred! 

We  carry  on  the  good  work  still. 

We  love  the  the  joy  of  helping,  saving. 

But,  oh!  sometimes  I'm  fain 

To  thank  the  ones  who've  gone  before. 

And  wonder  if  they  do  not  help  us,  more 

And  better  than  we  know  I 


I 


IBooi^  tbe  jfourtb. 


A  STONE  OF  EMERALD. 


I. 

After  the  Rains. 

II. 

SUNGOLD. 

III. 

Sunset. 

IV. 

A  Vision. 

V. 

Music  of  Skies. 

VI. 

A  Nest. 

VII. 

The  Egg. 

VIll. 

Satisfied:   A  Morning  Rapture 

IX. 

Word  Music. 

X. 

On  the  Seashore. 

XI. 

Sailing. 

XII. 

The  Gate  of  the  Day. 

XIII. 

Singing. 

XIV. 

June. 

XV. 

Roses:  A  Christmas  Idyl, 

XVI. 

El  Monte. 

XVII. 

Mimosa. 

XVIII. 

A  Spring  Day. 

XIX. 

The  Golden  Ships. 

XX. 

The  Seasons. 

XXI. 

A  Summer  Day. 

XXII. 

Three  Fruits. 

XXIII. 

A  Shower. 

XXIV. 

Degree. 

XXV. 

The  Poet's  Wreath, 

60  IDEALS      OF     THE 

Bttcr  tbe  IRains. 

Shine  out,  sweet  Sun,  once  more. 

And  come  again  to  Earth 

With  thy  exalted  Love, 

That  doth  our  strength  renew: 

Dispel  the  mists  of  doubt. 

Of  darkness  and  of  fear. 

When  the  sun  shineth  the  earth  is  so  bright. 

Keep  us  in  hope  thro'  hours  of  night; 

0  Light,  bright  Light, 

Come  to  us  after  the  long,  dark  night. 

Far — over  the  sun-bright  hills  — 

He  bringeth  the  morning  bright; 

The  mists  that  rise 

From  the  Earth  to  the  skies. 

Are  grateful  prayers  to  Heaven; 

And  Earth,  with  her  hills. 

And  rocks,  and  rills. 

Joins  in  the  joy  of  love; 

While  softly  and  safely,  the  cattle  and  birds 

Sing  the  sweet  hymn  they  have  found : 

"Love,  beyond  the  orient  meadows. 

Floats  the  golden  fringe  of  day." 

O  glorious  Day!     Thou  art  true  life, 

With  liberty  and  movement  rife  ; 

Eternal  life  that  lives  and  moves  — 

The  very  breath  of  God  who  loves ! 

Beneath  thy  smile  the  Darkness  flies, 

The  shadows  flee  and  voices  rise 

To  praise  thy  fair  eternal  skies ; 

Beneath  thy  quickening  ray 

New  seeds  spring  forth  ;   fresh  flowers  unfold, 

In  secret  deep  retort  is  wrought  new   shining  gold, 

New  gems  are  found  ;  new  germs  expand ; 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

New  songs  resound  ;    o'er  all  the  land 
Bright  birds  and  insects  fly 
And  every  heart  doth  sing, 
Beneath  the  brilliant  flash 
Of  glorious  morning's  wing! 
Thou  art  beauty,  and  truth  and  joy. 
Thou  shinest  more  and  more  — 
Unto  the  perfect  Day ! 

Sunool&. 

The  morning  star  grows  dim — 
And  silver  streaks  of  light 
Shoot  over  the  horizon's  brim  ; 
The  mountains  stand  with  veils  in  hand 
To  veil  their  frowning  brows — 
When  the  sun's  glory  dazzles  them  ; 
He  shines  forth — now — 
With  banners  that  fling 
A  radiance  there — 
O'er  beauty  and  blue 
In  Earth  and  Air! 
With  mantle  of  gold, 
And  broidered  fold. 
Of  rose  and  pearl ; 
With  fairest  blue — 
And   shimmering,  filmy 
Gold  of  Light- 
That  streameth  through, 
And  blesseth  sight! 

And  under  the  tender,  smiling  skies. 
Far  off"  in  tranquil  distance,  lies 
The  calm,  the  deep,  the  beautiful  blue, 
That  mirrors  the  pearly  fields  of  air. 
And  woos  the  tints  of  beauty  there! 


IDEALS     OF      THE 

A  strip  of  sand — a  bar  of  gold ; 

A  silvery  cliff  with  castle  old ; 

A  purple  headland,  tall  and  bold; 

Broad  tableland,  with  flowery  wold — 

With  emerald  fields   and  shining  shields 

Of  shells  and  sand — these  hide  the  land 

From  barrenness — with  magic  wand. 

Sunset 

0,  mystic  pictures  true: 

Of  rose  and  gold 

With  purple  fold, 

Royal  and  rare; 

Flung  on  a  canvas  of  blue, 

And  hung  in  the  radiant  air. 

In  a  gallery  free 

That  joineth  Earth's  gardens  fairl 

'Tis  only  cloud  gold,  after  all. 

It  will  not  last;  but  j'et, 

The  Sun  —  the  Sun  himself  hath  wro't 

Those  hues  we  fain  would  keep; 

And  long  as  time  shall  last 

He  will  renew  the  golden  cloud  — 

The  rosy  veil — as  Love  itself  will  do; 

As  golden  Love  alone  can  see. 

Life's  rosy,  golden  hue. 


* 


n  Dislon. 

Her  drifting  hair — blue  ether  air; 
And  on  her  temples  fair — 
A  crown  of  stars  like  brilliants  set; 
Ah !  lovely  Night  is  there  ! 


iMMANfeNT     LOVE  63 

/iftusic  of  Skies. 

Oh,  the  beautiful,  beautiful  music  of  skies 

The  glow  and  the  glisten  of  Heaven's  own  eyes, 

The  gold  and  the  blue,  oh,  exquisite  hue! 

The  rosy  flush,  the  purple  and  dusk, 

Night's  mantle  of  twilight,  and  quiet  and  hush. 

After  the  battle,  the  roar  and  the  rush. 

Now  Cometh  afar — Night,  with  sweet  silence. 
And  soft  beaming  star;  with  slow  dropping  dew, 
With  rest  and  the  fragrance  of  roses  and  rue ; 
Sleepy-eyed  flow 'rets  and  glimmer  of  gems, 
Sparkling  in  starlight  on  dark  beaded  stems: 
With  shimmering  radiance  of  luminous  stars 
That  float  in  the  far,  floating  blue. 
With  glory  of  gold  and  glory  of  silver  hue, 
With  crown  of  points  and  halo  of  light, 
Each  reigneth  o'er  an  hour  of  night. 

O,  faithful,  shining  stars! 

Ye  sing  the  angel  song; 

'Tis  God's  light  on  your  brows; 

Ye  are  the  angel  throng. 

Keeping  your  watch  till  now. 


21  IRest. 

I  hear  a  morning  song; 
In  a  shadowy  bush 
Sings  a  joyous  thrush. 

As  if  to  sing — 
That  sweet  content 

Is  aye  the  spring 

Of  Joy's  own  joyful  ring! 


64  IDEALS     OF     THE 

Nought  but  a  nest — 
But  the  care — sweet  zest, 
Brings  jo^^ance  and  rest ; 
So  thrilling,  filling 
Fields  with  song. 

He  works  content,  and  lives 
His  blessed  bird-life  long. 


^ 


Beautiful  cell, 
With  freshened  gleam, 
And  pearly  bloom 

On  thy  oval  shell — 

What  dost  thou  tell  ? 
What  if  the  egg-cup  will  not  hold 
Aught  but  its  own,  its  unwrought  gold? 

It  yet  may  be 

The  germ  of  a  life-hope, 
Full  and  free ; 
A  life  that  shall  fill 

A  world  full  of  nestlings 
At  its  pure,  sweet  will, 

When  its  own  unfolded  growth  in  time 

Shall  have  run  its  course  to  an  end  divine: 
Shall  shelter  them  there  with  folded  wings. 
And  its  sweetest  song  be  the  one  it  sings 

To  the  brooded  love  of  its  daily  care, 

That  it  shelters  and  loves,  tho'  the  world  is  fair. 
Say,  what  would  we  have  thee  be — 
But  an  egg — to  all  eternity  ? 

What  would  we  have  the  egg  shell  hold 

But  its  own  fuH  heart,  and  its  own  true  gold  ? 


IMMANENT     LOVE  65 

SatisfieD:   B  /IRorninc}  IRapture: 

0,  longing  soul,  what  is  it  stirs? 

Why  beat  thy  wings  continually 

Against  thy  prison  bars?     Canst  thou  not  sing 

Within  this  mortal  frame  enough  ? 

Art  thou  not  satisfied  to  dwell 

Within  the  temple  Nature  wrought, 

To  wear  the  vestment  she  decreed, 

While  nobler  praise  she  sought  ? 

Thoughts  are  thine  angel  wings, 

Mortality  thy  soul's  expression. 

Yea,  sometimes,  shalt  thou  soar 

Unto  God's  starry  heights,  into  infinitude; 

But  work-a-day  within  this  working  world, 

Is  thy  near  gift;  body  and  field  for  use. 

Then,  wake!     Each  morning,  with  God's  likeness 

Thou  shalt  "be  satisfied;"  thy  soul  shall  sing, 

And  thro'  the  Earth  and  univeise, 

Shall  "Heaven  and  Nature  sing!" 

The  Dayspring's  constancy  and  glory  show  His  face, 

His  work  with  song  fills  every  sphere  and  space ; 

When  life  with  duty's  beauty  is  so  filled, 

Thy  heart  with  love  and  upright  strength  so  willed. 

Thou  too  shall  sing  that  pasan's  constant  note. 

And  o'er  the  busy  world,  thy  joyous  echoes  float. 

MorO  music. 

Sweet  cadenced  rhymes,  whose  lingering  chimes 
Still  haunt  the  soul  with  Melody's  soft  spell; 
With  Music's  fond  and  flowing  wave. 
And  silv'rv  rolling  swell! 


66  IDKAI.S    OF    THE 


®n  tbe  Sea0bore\ 


The  birds  l)y  the  sea,  the  swash  of  the  waves, 

The  (lip  of"  swift  wings,  the  waterswept  caves; 

White  sand  and  bright  shells,  the  red-feathered  ttlosS, 

The  purple  seaweed,  its  soft,  silken  floss; 

Blue  water  and  sky,  and  glittering  shine 

On  the  wind-waving  waves  of  the  far-reaching  brine; 

To  each  heart  comes  a  feeling  that  is  born  of  the  ocean. 

Here  only  awakens  this  strange,  deep  emotion — 

A  rapturous  peace,  *neath  his  thunder  and  motion! 

We  wander  by  shores  where  the  \'ears  are  as  days; 

Rockbound,  they  awaited  the  Ancient  of  Days, 

And  met  the  red  glory  of  first  morning  rays; 

Then  to  the  rockribs  came  the  slow-moving  sands, 

And  sinuous  shells  with  the  tide  to  the  lands, 

Where  now  we  may  wander  with  treasure-filled  hands. 

With  the  beat  of  the  waves  our  hearts  keep  the  time, 

Swift  rises  to  rhythm  the  answering  rhyme. 

And  raptures  with  ocean  and  melody  chime; 

Sweet  stirrings  of  rapture,  'mid  sunshine  and  song, 

When  morning  with  dewdrops  and  fresh  flower  throngs, 

Calls  forth  the  sweet  love  that  to  fair  Earth  belongs; 

When  breezes  and  birds,  and  far  dashing  spray, 

The  roll  of  the  waves  on  the  golden  beachway. 

The  silvery  crests  of  the  curved  bending  swell. 

So  often  and  often   the  old   story  tell : 

To   the  cliffs  and  the  rocks   with  their  towering  fronts, 

They   utter  caresses   which   sound   in  their  chants; 

How  they  ever  shall  cling  to   their  time-loved   haunts, 

And  dwell  with  sweet  faith  by  their  baptismal  fonts! 


IMMANENT    LOVE 

Sailing. 

Come  sail  with  me 

On  the  silvery  sea, 

While  wavelets  sway 

And  lightly  dance, 

When  moon-beams  glance, 

And  swift  winds  softly  play. 

On  o'er  the  deep 
And  darkling  sea  — 
Her  gleaming  fields 
Shine  o'er  the  lea. 

Music  doth  ring 

And  our  spirits  wing 

With  glories  that  fling 

Their  radiance  bright 

O'er  the  sea  all  night; 

We  flow  thro'  the  waves 

To  the  light  stilly  caves  below. 

Slow  gliding  we  go 
Where  anemones  grow, 
Gray,  purple  and  pink, 
'Mid  mosses  they  shrink, 
In  gardens  and  groves, 
On  white  rocks  where  droves 
Of  parrot  fish  feed 
And  hide  in  sea- weed. 

In  the  mermaid's  bright  cave, 
Where  the  silver-lit  wave 
Shines  with  the  curving  blue  lance 
That  Luna  drops  down 
From  her  white-crested  crown 
On  the  water's  soft  sheeny  dance. 


IDEALS    OK     THB 

We  have  anchored  our  bark 

By  her  shell  strewn  ark, 

And  enter  her  covert  fair; 

Here  nodding  we  rest 

While  fancy's  oar  breasts 

The  sea  and  the  storms  of  care. 

But  the  mermaid's  voice  rings, 
While  the  lost  sailor  sings, 
No  mortal  shall  dare 
Abide  where  we  are; 
The  seas  be  our  tlirone, 
Other  worlds  be  your  own. 
Swift  these  spirits  f^hall  hie 
To  the  fields  that  lie 
Round  earth  and  air 
And  twinkling  star. 

Up  thro'  the  glassy  green 
Our  gliding  sail  is  seen; 
Again  our  eyes  behold 
Fair  morning's  star  of  gold. 


XLbc  ©ate  of  ^be  Dag. 

Thro'  the  beautiful  gate  of  the  day, 
My  soul  is  mounting  high, 
Like  a  lark,  to  the  gold,  blue  sky- 

O'er  the  Earth  on  her  Heavenly  way. 

The  beautiful  gate  of  the  day ; 

Morning!  with  golden  light, — 

Joy  from  a  holy  height, 
Flooding  my  lowly  way. 


IMMANENT     LOVE  69 


Stay!   Till  the  noontide  day, 

With  its  burden  and  burning  heat, 
Shall  a  worthy  Avorkman  greet. 

With  a  meed  of  rest  by  the  way. 

Rest,  that  is  gained  with  the  day, 
True,  as  the  action  and  soul. 
Sure,  as  God  keepeth  the  whole 

World  that  is  taught  on  its  way. 

Won,  like  a  star  from  the  day, 
Worn,  as  the  evening's  crown, 
When  the  swift  flying  daj--  is  done, 
When  the  beautiful  gate  is  down. 

And  the  heart  recounts  the  wa}'. 

Singing. 

He  sings  at  night 
Like  a  star  of  light! 
Sweet  mocking  bird  — 
I  heard, I  heard 
Thj'  silvery  song, 
Thro'  the  night  so  long. 

What  is  thy  joy. 

And  faith  so  bright  ? 

Is  there  no  alloy 

In  the  moon's  white  light. 

As  it  streams  o'er  the  hill 

With  its  flood  so  still  ? 

While  murmurs  the  sea, 
Afar  o'er  the  lea, 
When  the  shining  waves 
Sweep  shore  and  caves. 
And  the  tide  sets  in, 
With  the  windharp's  din  ? 


70  IDEALS     OF     THE 

While  flowers  fill 
Their  cups  at  will, 
And  star  eyes  glance 
When  breezes  dance, 
And  rocking  sway 
Thy  nestvine's  spray  ? 

But  the  shadows  creep 
Where  the  white  rays  peep; 
And  the  misty  cloud 
Makes  fear  seem  loud ; 
And  the  death-watch  ticks 
'Mid  the  darkness  thick. 

The  wild  rose  pales, 
And  the  cuckoo  wails; 
Afar  in  the  dingle 
Where  wild  weeds  tangle. 
And  nighthawks  keep 
Their  circling  sweep. 

But  bravely  and  bold. 
His  song  ripples  out 
O'er  the  shadowy  wold; 
With  never  a  doubt 
In  his  trusting  breast, 
He  sings  he  is  blest! 

For  a  world  so  fair. 
For  his  nestlings  there, 
From  day  unto  night. 
From  dark  unto  light, 
Sweet  thanks  must  share 
His  daily  care. 


IMMANENT     LOVfi 

5une. 

Spangles  of  dew  drops,  sprays  of  roses, 
Tangles  of  briars,  and  snatches  of  song  I 
Far  down  in  a  greenwood  lane, 
The  wild  briar  springs,  and  flings 
Its  arching  sprays  and  rays. 

Of  rose  vines  red  ; 
They  shine  and  glimmer  there, 
With  dewy  pearls  and  Ieaf\'  curls, 
Swinging  in  clusters  where 
The  summer's  gold  is  seen. 
Thro'  whorls  and  twirls  of  green. 
Near  by  a  mockbird  sings; 
In  a  meadow  fair. 
With  royal  tints 
Of  purple  rare 
And  deep  sea  green  ; — 
While  twinkling  stars, 
V/ith  yellow  rays 
And  disks  of  darkest  blue, 
Gleam  all  the  grass  waves  thro' ! 


IRoees  — B  Cbrietmas  KD^l. 

Oh,  Roses!     Sweet  roses!     Oh,  wild  and  tame,  so  fair! 
Since  when  ye  left  bright  Eden,  the  fairest  flower  here; 
Your  velvet,  pink,  clear  petals,  yourshiningnotched  leaves, 
Your  subtle,  balmy  fragrance  that  wind  and  sun  en  wreathes; 
With  all  sweet,  youthful  hopes,  and  ever}-  blessed  joy, 
Thy  beauteous  life  is  bound,  may  nought  my  rose  destroy. 
From  tiniest  rosy  gleam,  all  veiled  in  tender  green, 
To  full  and  faded  sweet,  unheeded  and  unseen, 


72  IDEALS     OF     THE 

Oh,  pale  aud  pure!     When  white,  with  waxen  leaves, 
All  wet  with  early  dews,  ye  come  to  bind  the  sheaves: 
When    round   the  precious    dead,   ye  twine  your  clasping 

hands. 
And  say  'tis  harvest  home;  the  wheat  is  now  in  bands; 
Good  seed  for  other  years  is  like  thy  faithful  spring. 
And  like  the  Rose  of  Sharon,  and  lilies  Christ  did  bring; 
Returns  with  certain  sun,  to   bloom  and  bless  and  wing, 
Where  God's  new  song  is  sung;    where   Love's  redeemed 

ave  sing. 


Bl  /iRonte. 

Rest  a  while  in  this  woodland  dell, 
Where  the  music  songs  of  wild  birds  swell, 
From  far  off  glens  and  mountain  nooks 
Through  deep  green  aisles  of  dark  live  oaks, 
Here  are  filmy  ferns  of  lace, 
And  nodding  plumes  of  Maidenhair, 
Hid  in  the  many  clefts  of  rocks, 
With  Silverleaf,  and  Goldback. 
And  downy  Clevelander! 

Now  up  the  inviting  hills. 

With  lightsome  step  and  true. 

Over  the  rocks  —  we've    sped  in  thought  — 

On  and  up  to  the  very  tops, 

To  rest  and  see  the  view! 

But  the  way  is  long  and  steep, 

And  oft  we  must  renew 

Our  fainting  courage,  with  the  cheer 

Of  little  friendly  flowers. 

That  smile  along  the  way. 

And  beckon  to  our  hands 


IMMANENT     LOVE 


And  ferns  and  flowers,  whose  names 
*We  need  not   tell;  they  dwell  in  sweet  content, 
Oblivious  to  praise,  save  when  you  thank  them 
Because  the  world  is  fair! 
Ah  I  Nature  is  their  own  dear  mother. 
Who  gives  their  dainty  robes  and   bright,  clear  faces 
To  seek  the  light  of  Day,  'mid  wild  bees  humming, 
And  happy  wild  birds  singing  — 
To  Nature's  sun  and  glory ! 
This  only  is  their  duty, 
To  blossom  by  the  way. 
And  lend  to  Nature's  life 
The  tender  rays  of  Beauty ! 

Ah,  me!    That  ruthless  Art 

Should  ever  touch  this  lovely  little  park, 

So  dense,  so  cool,  so  dark. 

So  dear  to  Nature's  heart  — 

Since  planted  by  her  mother  hand 

To  beautify  her  creatures'  land! 

/IRimosa. 

O,  sensitive  flower!— sweet  wayside  dower, 

I  loved  thee  well  in  thy  ferny  dell ; 

Thy  purple  pink,  round  ball  of  gold, 

Hath  heart  of  grace  in  its  tender  hold. 

And  doth  enfold  Eternal  things; 

'Tis  Love  divine  thy  rays  enshrine, 

For  thro'  thy  glorious  beauty  shines — 

The  kindliness  God's  thought  doth  hold. 

By  the  side  of  the  ancient  rock 

In  the  green  and  mossy  velvet  mold. 

Thou  springest  bold ; 


IDEALS    OF    THE 

But  thj'  quivering  leaf — a  fear  must  hold,  • 

So  sure  it  seems  to  feel 

The  stranger's  presence  there, 

In  its  own  soft,  balmy  air 

Where  it  stands  so  peerless! 

There,  where  silv'ry  lichens  cling 

To  the  mighty  rock, 

Beside  the  mountain  spring; 

Where  wild  rose  tangles 

With  twelve  o'clock,  and  lady  slipper: 

Royal  blue,  with  golden  hue, — 

Saffron,  and  ruby  spot! 

O  wildwood  flowers,  I  loved  you  well, — 

Then  will  you  not  your  secret  tell  ? 

Why  do  we  bloom  ?    We  live  to  bless 

Earth  with  our  own  sweet  happiness ! 

To  wake  the  infant  heart — the  grateful  soul. 

To  wonder  and  to  praise ; 

To  love  and  bless 

The  Name  of  Nature! 

B  Spring  H)aB. 

In  the  sunlight ! 

The  words  are  a  poem, 

The  thought  is  a  rj'thm ; 

In  the  morning  bright. 

In  the  early  light. 

When  the  world  is  fresh  and  fair! 

0,  morning  fair!     O,  golden  air! 

My  heart  is  stirred  like  that  mocking  bird's. 

He  joyously  sings  —  his  sweet  music  rings  — 

And  to   the  wide  w^orld  another  song  brings. 

But  still,  the  same  sweet  old  conceit ! 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

Beneath  the  cloud  swept  sky, 

Slow,  silv'ry  masses  moving  by, 

Fair  hills  and  vales 

Lie  half  in  shadow, 

Half  in  light, 

While  mountains  round 

And  far  beyond, 

Engirt  the  fair,  vast  plain, 

And  look  unto  the  sea. 

Now  thro'  the  soft,  still  air. 
And  thro'  the  golden  light. 
There  comes  a  restless  thrill ; 
The  wind  awakened  trees 
Stir  all  their  shining  leaves ; 
Now  wave  the  happy  trees 
Their  lustrous  lace  of  leaves ; 
Now  nod  and  sway 
To  w^hispering  breeze. 
All  emerald  seas. 
And  rustling  spears  of  hay. 
Now  dance  and  play 
The  leaf-wreathed  stems 
On  every  mound, 
Some  flower-encrowned, 
And  wrought  with  gems ; 
Some  hiding  gay 
A  wee,  wild  deer, 
That  bounds  away 
Like  lightsome  fay . 

Our  footsteps  rove 

To  cull  the  flowers  Fancy  loves; 

Painted  cups  —  a  banded  bee 

Sits  here  and  sups ; 

Flowers'  eyes,  like  fair  blue  skies; 


^6  IDEALS    OF    THE 

Earth's  flower  stars  and   rays, 

That  shine  along  her  lowly  ways, 

Some  speak  in  words  almost,  and  some 

In  silv'ry  silence,  spell  the  air 

With  golden  thought,  j^et  scarce  more  fair! 

Here,  crinkled  leaves  and  tendriled  curls 

And  some  are  fringed  and  beaded, 

With  shining,  glistening  pearls. 

All  striving,  growing,  blessing. 

They  make  my  heart  strings  swell, 

And  rapture's  thrill  — 

Like  Nature's  answering  own : 

Her  children  answer  to  her  cry, 

Thro'  all  the  Earth  unto  the  sky. 

When  winds  and  waves. 

And  rains  and  light. 

Come  quicklj^  at  her  call. 

And  bear  her  love  to  all . 

Then  they  begin 

Sweet  striving  for  her  blessing, 

Or  is  it  only  thus  I'm  guessing? 

Zhc  ©olDcn  Sbips. 

Now  overhead  the  wide  fleet  spreads. 

While  soft  and  deep 

The  bright  blue  sweeps 

Around,  above  each  field  and  grove. 

Engilt  with  gold ; 
Embossed  with  bands 
And  bars  of  gold  ; 
En  wrought  with  silver. 
Flecked  with  gray, 


IMMANENT     LOVK 

And  flossed  with  wreaths  of  snow — 

The  feathered  fleeces, 

Massive,  white. 

Float — fair  and  light, 

Along  the  unfathomed  air! 

With  swinging  banners  flying  low, — 

All  edged  with  T3Tian  rare. 

Where  purple  sunhues  glow, — 

Swiftly,  smoothly,  slow. 

Afar  they  come  and  go  ; 

Bright  Argosies  of  blissful  gains ; 

The  ships  and  sails  that  know   no  place. 

The  mystic  veils  of  Nature's  face ; — 

Within  their  deeps,  a  kindly  spirit 

Waiting — keeps  a  watch  for  Rains, 

To  bless  the  patient,  trusting  plains  I 

XLbc  Seasons. 

When  the  long,  fair  Symmer, 

And  glorious  Autumn  days 

Bide  for  thy  work  and  shimmering  wait 

Make  haste  to  think. 

To  work  and  say, 

By  and  by. 

The  rain  will  fall ; 

Down  over  all. 

Pour  the  cold  waterfall ! 

When  Winter's  discontent 

Comes  with  his  murky  air. 

When  leaden  clouds  obscure  the  sky, 

And  raindrops  patter  down 

Throughout  the  dull,  gray  day, 

Make  haste  to  hope, 

To  work  and  say. 

By  and  by, 

God's  glorious   sun  will  shine! 


78  IDEALS    OF    THE 

When  the  young  year  says 
He  cannot  stay, 
And  the  bright,  quick   Spring 
Flies  Hke  a  bird  to  Maj' ; 
Make  haste  to  sieze  the  passing  hour, 
To  work,  and  say, 
Nor  seed,  nor  deed  can  shirk. 
That  would  the  after  Harvest  share. 
With  Rest  amid  God's  bounty  fair! 

Ay,  by  and  by,  the  sun  will  shine, 
And  by  and  by  the  rain  will  fall; 
Make  haste  to  work  and  say 
Meantime,  God  gives  each  day, 
And  Hope  —  the  steady  ray. 
That  cheers  our  striving  onward  way  I 

B  Summer  2)ag. 

Around  the   world,  the  busy  world, 

The  flaming  wheel  has  slovfrly  whirled ; 

The  Morning  sweet — with  flying  feet, 
But  danced  a  minuet  so  fleet ; 

The  royal  Sun,  at  burning  noon 

Soon  wilted  pleasure — ah,  too  soon! 

There's  scarce  a  breath  to  save  from  Death 
Sweet  Life — all  panting  Nature  saith; 

Relentless,  fierce,  unshrinking  beams 

Upon  the  dazzling  waters  gleam  ; 

The  azure  sheet — like  polished  glass, 
Under  the  glare  a  molten   mass. 

But  suddenly,  softly,  swiftly  springs 

The  white-capped  breeze  on  silv'ry  wings. 
And  gently  ripple  to  the  shore 
The  undulating  swells  once  more. 

While  little  heaving  waves  roll  o'er 

The  pebbled  strands  of  Elsinore, 


IMMANENT     LOVE  79 

Sweet  Life  awakes,  and  Hope  regains 
Her  vantage  ground  of  fertile  plains ; 

The  pleasant  hours  revive  the  flowers, 

And  work  and  song  renew  the  dowers 

Of  happy  homes;  now,  whilom  roams 
The  hunter— and  the  white  yacht  foams 

The  deep  blue  water  round  her  bows. 

And  scuds  as  fast  as  sail  allows! 

The  quiet  Moon  draws  on  apace — 
And  fills  the  sky;  beloved  face, 

That  shines  afar — yet  always  near! 

We  know  she  is  the  same  friend  dear. 

To  all  our  loved  where  e'er  they  are; 
The  same  fair  Crescent,  guiding  star! 

Sweet  Day   has  waned— the  long,  bright  Day; 

At  sultry  Noon — we  scarce  could  pray. 

Till  spent  was  all  the  fervent  heat, 

Like  youth  and  strength,  when  angers  beat 

Their  scorching  airs  upon  the  soul, 

While  o'er  the  heart  fierce  passions  roll! 

But  at  the  last.  Peace  is  the  close  — 
Dear  God  sends  heart  and  Day  repose! 

Zbvcc  jfrults. 

O,  straight  gray  tree  the  Savior; 

O,  Olive  of  Gethsemane ! 
Grow  in  all  gardens  now,  beloved. 

Thy  fruit  in  every  land  be  free ! 
If  men  whose  strength  must  be  restored, 

Love  racy,  fragrant,  cooling  drinks 
They'll  try  the  nectar  Hebe  used, 

And  make  the  Lemon  aid — I  think ! 
0,  Apple  of  Hesperides, 

That  Paris  tossed  to  lovely  woman ; 
Thou  never  wast  the  fruit  of  discord, 

0-rangel— to  comfort  every  true  man! 


8o  IDEALS    OF     THE 

a  Sbower. 

The  blessed  Rain !  the  wilting  Earth 
Receives  and  drinks  it  down ; 
Raindrops  bright  glow, 
Rainbows  Sunlight  show, 
And  everj'where  the  misty  air 
Is  full  of  children's  mirth! 
A  w^ondrous  light  of  golden-green 
O'ercasts  the  freshened  scene, 
While  ev'ry  Rose  and  Lily's  cup 
Is  bent — and  waits  to  be  turned  up 
By  the  blessed  Sun,  tomorrow! 

Degree. 

Gray  garden  Mints, 
How  dare  you  grow 
Among  the  regal  Roses  ? 

Oh!     At  their  feet,  we've  watched  their  tints- 
Bright,  glowing,  crimson,  and  so  sweet — 
Till  in  our  hearts  we  almost  think. 
We  too  may  grow, 
And  love  as  do  the  roses  I 


Cbe  poet's  TlClreatb. 

A  garland  of  gems 

Left  by  the  waves  of  thought. 

On  the  shore  of  Time : 

Woven  with  chimes; 

With  mem'ry  leaves  wrought 

With  flowers  and  stem  ; 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

Birdsongs  and  sunbeams, 
Greenwood  and  breeze, 
Earthland  and  star, 
God  and  the  seas ; 
Red  roses  rare, 
White  truths  most  fair. 
Entwined  with  a  thorn, 
Empearled  with  a  tear; 
Forget-me-nots  few. 
Fadeless,  shining  in  blue. 
Like  still  polar  stars 
Drawing  souls  from  afar. 
A  mystic  wreath  of  silent  song; 
Songs  of  youth  and  happiness; 
Songs  of  home  and  heaven. 
Songs  of  labor,  hope  and  love — 
Songs  of  Nature's  leaven  ! 


-Bool^  tbe  jfiftb. 


A   STONE  OF  SARDONYX 

* 

I. 

The  Choice. 

II. 

The  Perfect  Day. 

III. 

A  Sigh. 

IV. 

Growing  Old. 

V. 

Resolutions. 

VI. 

Work. 

VII. 

The  Hours. 

VIII. 

A  Star. 

IX. 

0  Sun! 

X. 

Love's  Name. 

XI. 

Remembrances. 

XII. 

Thy  Day. 

XIII. 

Now  and  After. 

84  IDEALS    OF    THE 


^be  Cbotce. 


The  spirit  flies  from  spray  to  spra}', 

From  land  to  sea,  from  earth  to  star, 

And  apans  the  living,  loving  heart  and  hand 

Of  Nature  to  find  true  happiness ; 

For  what  doth  Nature  strive  ? 

For  power!     In  peace  and  war 

Her  elements  unceasing  strive, 

And  man  doth  strive  —  for  power! 

Why  should  we  strive 

Beyond  the  limits  of  life's  noblest  end  ? 

For  wealth  or  fame,  if  happiness 

Be  power?    And  it  must  be; 

For  this  the  world  doth  strive,  it  says, 

Forever,  here  and  after ; 

By  all  means  and  in  all  ways, 

Thro'  time,  eternity. 

The  secret  source  of  power 
Is  difficulty  overcome 
By  strong  determination; 
By  this  all  things  are  won 
That  can  be  won. 
And  happiness  may  be  our  own 
If  we  are  but  determined. 
Yea,  duty  done  is  heaven  won. 

What  shall  one  day  be  worth  to  me 

From  out  the  years  to  come  ? 

What  shall  each  day  be  worth,  my  soul, 

To  life,  to  love  and  home? 

Shall  it  be  happiness,  true  power, 

For  every  creature's  daily  dower? 


|l 


IMMANENT     LOVE  85 

Yea,  what  should  power  be 

But  gladness,  happiness? 

Are  yonder  stern  and  lofty  mountains 

As  happy  as  the  humble  earth, 

That  lives  and  loves  with  sun 

And  summer's  tender  flowers, 

With  uses  sweet  and  calm  content 

For  man's  and  Nature's  sake. 

The  mountains,  genius,  aye  shall  be 

A  help  and  barriers  from  life's  sea 

Of  storms  and  windy  gusts,  but  cannot  be 

The  firm  foundation  of  our  homes! 

Keep  near  to  home,  keep  near  to  heaven. 

For  home  is  heaven,  and  heaven  is  happiness! 

What  tho'  the  way  is  hard. 

The  morning  sun,  like  Love,  is  here; 

Faithful  and  soon  he  comes  to  help, 

And  gives  himself  for  sympathy ; 

And  if  he  is  not  here,  then  he  will  come  — 

The  sun  of  truth  and  righteousness ; 

And  we  may  measure  as  we  like, 

Our  life,  our  love,  our  home  and  heaven, 

If  we  but  choose  to  win 

The  dawn  of  day  and  Eden! 

Then  grasp  the  gift;   it  is  thine  own. 
If  strength  and  hope  and  love  but  come; 
Duty  and  home  are  one. 
Duty  is  happiness. 

Yet  love  must  sing. 

The  mountains  shine 

With  glory  bright  and  holy, 

And  lend  their  rays  to  lowly  ways 

And  listen  to  life's  story. 


86  IDEALS     OF     THE 

TLbc  perfect  Da^. 

Ye  hills,  ye  barren  hills  that  lie 

Forever  in  my  pathway  and  my  sight, 
Is  there  no  glimpse  of  verdure  for  my  weary  eye, 

No  flowery  dells,  no  trees  of  restful  might? 
Beyond  the  line  that  bounds  my  vision,  there 

Perhaps  bright  beauty  nestles,  waiting  long 
To  show  to  struggling  souls  her  face  so  fair. 

Her  gentle  grace,  her  truth  so  strong. 

Beyond;  forever  just  beyond  the  hills. 

That  loom  so  close  beside  my  way, 

I'll  find  my  rest,  and  with  reward  that  fills 
My  life  unto  an  endless,  perfect  day. 

A  perfect  day?    What  is  this  day, 

That  cheats  my  weary  pilgrimage, 

When  e'er  I  reach  forth  to  a  way 

That  lies  bej^ond  the  present  day? 

Oh  lovely  Future!  only  near  me, 

In  the  loving,  earnest  Present: 
I  shall  find  thee,  only  near  me. 

When  I  go  to  meet  thy  feet! 
What  should  be  done 

Let  me  take  hold  and  do; 
The  minutes  then  will  he 

Blossoms  and  buds  for  Eternity! 

Here  is  a  flower  of  patient  grace, 

It  blooms  beside  the  winding  way, 
And  grand  and  goodly  greenwood  trees, 

Hard  by  the  rippling  stream  of  faith ! 
Then  on  I'll  walk,  and  see  thy  face, 

Each  coming  day  shall  find  thee — here; 
I  have  no  need   of  resting  place, 

Thou  art  not  far — but  near! 


IMMANENT     LOVE  87 


B  Sigb. 


0  the  past,  the  glowing  past! 

With  its  youthful  hopes  and  roses! 
Would  to  God  they  might  always  last, 

With  the  life  and  love  Time  throws  us ! 

Careless  Time!     He  loves  no  one. 

He  wastes — he  brushes  the  bloom 
From  the  heart  and  lip — from  the  brow  and  cheek: 

He  rudely  hastes — the  bloom  he  wastes. 

Ah,  sad  the  truth  and  sad  the  seeming; 

Of  Youth's  sweet  rose  we  are  bereft. 
But  yet  be  strorg — for  all  that's  left 

For  life  and  love — is  after  gleaning. 

One  harvest  is  past  but  another  comes ; 

Today  we  may  glean  the  Truth, 
With  wayside  flowers  that  we  may  wear. 

E'en  down  to  the  end  of  life, 
In  everlasting  bowers ! 

©rowing  ©10:  Un  If  Deal. 

Growing  older?   Growing  better; 
Casting  aside  the  spirit's  fetter; 
Seeing   a  light   on   a   far-off"  height, 
Choosing  each   day   the   path   of  right. 

Growing   old   gracefully?     Gliding  to   power; 
Seeing  the  way   with   a   clearer  sight ; 
Learning  to  live  with  a  happier  dower  — 
Charitj'  w^ise,  and   patience  bright. 

Who   would  go  back  to  milk  for  babes  ? 
Grow   old   we  must  —  then  w^hy  not  sooner? 
There  is  always  younger  contrast  that  fades 
J^Xid   we  trjust  e'en  pay  our  debt§  to  Nature  ! 


88  IDEALS     OF     THE 

But  have  not  we  a  recompense  meet, 
In   flower  and  fruit   from   experience' tree? 
Charity   wise  and   patience  sweet  — 
Apple  blossoms  of  gold   to  be! 

Bread-fruit  from   the  tree  of  life, 
To  feed   who   need   at  her  door; 
Now   hath   our  Adam   a  better  wife — 
With  garments  of  light  for  her  poor; 

Spinning  a  preciou.s  diamond  thread, 
She   weaves  on  the  warp  of  time; 
While  sweetly   down  her  spirit's   way, 
The   hells  of  memory  chime. 

Her  beauty  lives  and  grows 

Upon  the  food  of  soul ; 

'Tis  colored  by  her  changing  thought — 

As   the   mothfly's  cocoon   roll. 

O   Happiness  so  young  and   fair! 
Thou  art   Beaut3''s  silent  sun; 
Transparent — thro'   thy   shining  air — 
Perpetual   Youth  is  won  ! 

IResolutions. 

0  days  gone  by — can  ye  return  no  more? 

1  hear  your  voices  yet  upon  the  far-off  shore  ; 

I  know  the  joyous  thrill  that  lingers  with  you  still, 
And  melody  that  Youth  can  hear,  but  once  for  each  alone; 
That  led  us  on  to  meet  our  Life, 
In  Hope's  clear  bugle  tone, 

0  happy,  golden  days,  ye  golden  days  of  5'ore, 

1  stand  and  wait  for  you  upon  a  rippling  shore  ; 
Ye  can  return  to  me  upon  a  silver  sea ; 

The  sea  of  song,  where  memories  throng  ; 


1 


Immanent    love  iig 

I  wait  upon  the  shore 
While  through  the  ebbing  tide, 
The  days  of  fate  grow  dim, 
And  drift  once  more. 

Upon  the  tide,  white  memories  ride  ; 

They  come  and  seek  my  side 

With  faces  of  delight,  with  joyous  pride, 

To  be  recalled  through  time  and  tide. 

Sweet,  precious  friends,  where  have  ye  been  ? 

Why  went  ye  not  with  me  ? 

Did  I  forget  how  dear  ye  were  to  me — 

And  waited  not  when  darkness  came  to  ye? 

No  more — no  more  ;  we'll  part  no  more  ; 

Together  we  will  stay,  and  seek  the  Sun. 

Together  we  will  live,  till  life  is  rightly  won — 

You  promised  love,  and  victor}-,  and  duty  surely  done. 

There   is   work   to   be  done, 
Ere  the  set  of  the  sun ; 
Ere  life  and  the  sun 
Be  forever  done: 
Then   hasten   thy   feet — 
And   faint   not,   0   Soul, 
The  minutes  fleet, 
Immortal  roll  : 
Not  thine  if  lost, 
Too  great  their  cost ; 
But  swift   minutes   saved 
From   Time's  surging  w^ave. 
Make  thee,   O   Mortal, 
Put  on  the  immortal; 
Such  life  is   a  part 
Of  Eternity ; 


t)0  IDKAI-S    OF    THF, 

Oh, — soiindeth  thy   wave 

On  the  shore  of  God's  sea? 

Time  should   be  Hved ; 

Then   hve   with   Time, 

Nor  lose  Life's    race ; 

Still  strive,  if  thou  wouldst  gain 

A  glory   for  thy  pain ; 

Ere  sun  be  down — 

Love's  own   immortal  crown, 

And   resting  place. 

XTbe  Ibours. 

The  pendulum  must  swing,  swing,  swing; 

Then  let  the  pendulum  sing, 

Nor  tell  of  the  lonely  watch 

The  midnight  keeps; 

Never  the  lonely  watch, 

Nor  the  hurried  fears, 

Of  the  silent  years. 

The  pendulum  must  swing  — 

Then  let  the  pendulum  sing; 

Of  a  chaplet  of  hours, 

Fresh  and  fair 

As  dew-filled  flowers ; 

One  by  one. 

We  take  up  the  hours. 

Ever,  forever,  the  incoming  hours ; 

Take  them  up  bravely, 

Braveh*  and  well ; 

Take  up  the  rose, 

Take  up  the  thorn, 

Weave  them  and  wear  them  — 

Christ  wore  the  thorn. 

Manj'  the  hours, 

Many  the  flowers  — 

The  sweetest  have  thorns. 


IMMANENT    LOVE 


B  Star. 


0  soul,  to  be  a  fixed  star, 
To  dwell  in  power  and  light, 
To  be  to  other  souls  their  need, 
Of  strength,  and  love  and  light ; 
Within  tho'  heat  and  flame  consume, 
Without  the  radiance  of  the  star  illume! 
Souls  that  are  mine, 

That  life  has  given  me, 
Souls  that  I  can  reach. 
Souls  that  I  can  teach. 
Such  souls  have  need  of  me. 

Love  only  is  a  fixed  star, 

No  human  heart  like  thine ; 

On  Love  keep  fixed  thy  fainting  eyes. 

Love  is  a  strength  sublime ; 

Love  is  thy  star,  thy  strength,  a  sun; 

Thy  mortal  heart,  a  planet  dark, 

No  innate  strength  can  own, 

'Tis  Love's  pure  light. 

Not  will,  or  might. 

That  can  a  soul  enthrone ; 

'Tis  pure  Love's  light 

Lent  to  their  night. 

That   on  bright  brows   hath   shone! 

©,   Sun! 

0,  beautiful,  glorious  Sun  ? 
When  shall  I  cease  to   sing 
Thy  praise  and  prayer  ? 
A  prayer  and  tear 

1  gave  to  night, 

But  pra3'ers  and   praise 
I  give  the  light !    ^ 


IDEALS    OF    THE 

Each  day  I  see  J| 

Th3'  face  so  fair,  ll 

So  fair  and  clear,  y, 

That  has  no   peer,  } 

Like  a  bird   of  the  air                                                              ^_ 
I  sing! 

I  sing  thy  kindliness, 

Thy  gentle  tenderness 

That  gives  to   Earth 

Such   happiness. 

O  sweet  Sun-shine ! 

O  soft  Sun-shine! 

Like  matchless  Love  divine. 

Thy  sunrars  softh-  shine; 

Thou  foldest  in   a  golden  glow 

Earth's  lilies  and   her  kings! 

O  Sun!     Thou  dost   open  some  hearts. 

Like  a  fresh,  fair  flower, 

A  new  blown  rose, 

And  over  its  field. 

Its  fragrance  flows; 

0   Sun!     Love's  sunraj's  softly  shine, 

And   blossom  flowers  divine; 

Love  copies  love  like  thine! 

%ove*3  mamc. 

Ah,   Love!   come  nigh. 

With  thy  blessed   ruth, 

And  chain  my  heart 

To    the  glorj'   of  Truth ; 

Let  Constancy  awake 

And   be  my  faithful   bands. 

Fetter  my  thoughts,  my  hands. 

For  the  children's  sake ; 


IMMANENT    LOVE  93 

May  Patience  ever  teach, 

My    ministrations  reach — 

Sureh^   to   them   and   Thee; 

Never  an   unkind   word,  ^ 

From   Self  be  heard 

In  deed   or  thought, — 

To  those  we  love — 

To   them   or  Thee! 

'Tis  thus   a   mother  taught 

No   sacrifice  may   be  in  vain, 

'Tis    thus  the   World    has   wrought 

The  meaning  of  Love's  Name  I 

Make   Home  an   Eden   and  children   the  flowers 

That  brighten   Earth's  cares  in   beautiful   bowers; 

But   dreams   of  Fame  we  will  not  name. 

For  these  are  but   the  after-pain 

Of  Selfs  dear  song ! 


IRcmembrances. 

Store  up  Today   Love's  Sunshine, 

For  all  Life's  clouds  Tomorrow, 

Love's  sweet  remembrances  — within   thy  heart, 

For  ev'ry  coming  sorrow; 

And   they  shall   be  thy  holy  balm  of  Gilead 

And  shall  thy  pain   assuage 

When   fear  and   Death  shall  come, 

And  stricken  hearts  must  bleed. 


IDEALS    OF    THE 

The   Peace  of  the  Hills- 
Eternal,  serene, 
And   sunset  skies, 
Lift  up  our  eves 
To  the  glory   that  lies 
Round   the  still   and   d3'ing  Day. 

After  the   battle  and   storm, 

Sweet  peace  and   calm : 

The  day  is  far  spent — 

It's  fair  life  is  rent ; 

To  thee   was  it  sent 

To  give   to   thy   waiting    world. 

What  hast   thou   done 

With  its   blessed  emprise  ? 

Waiteth  for  thee — 

Well-spent  and  now  free, 

A  star  and   a  sea 

Of  Memory  and  Love,  from  thy  world  ? 

Encircling  and  shining. 
The  star  and   the  sea : 
Ever  thy  world 
Turned  its  heart  unto   thee; 
As  the  Sun   to  the  Day — 
Was  Love's  Truth  unto  thee  ? 

Shall  thy   life  be   received 
In  a  sea  of   Earthlove, 
While  shineth  thy  memory 
As  a  star  shines  above? 

If  to   a  new  world 
Love's  light  goeth  on, — 
Come  there  ever  new  souls 
To   dwell  in  God's   home! 


IMMANENT    LO^'E 

IHow  an&  after. 

Work  thou   and   wait  —  watch   for  God's   dawn; 
Surely,   surely,   conies   the    white   morn ; 
Bright   and   gleaming.    Heaven's  golden   streak, 
Gilds  the   Earth   for  the  mother  meek. 

When   the  red   sun   all   thy  days  has  dyed, 
With  the  spent  strength   and   crimson   tide. 
Of  Life's  great   work  that  taught  thee   Love, 
Thy   soul  wilt  have  found   new   Life  above. 

Perchance  when  there  thou  ma^'st  better  live, 
Mayst  better  love  and   truer  help  give ; 
Sureh'   the   Power  that   placed   us  here. 
Can   answer  there  the  heart's  best  prayer, 
And   make  this   Life   as  the  noonday  clear. 


BooJ^  tbc  Siytb. 


A    STONE    OF    SARDIUS 

^ 

I. 

A  Prayer. 

II. 

Love. 

III. 

Why. 

IV. 

Aftermath. 

V. 

The  Heights. 

VI. 

Love. 

VII. 

Peace. 

VIII. 

My  Armor. 

IX. 

Except. 

X. 

They  Cannot. 

XI. 

Until. 

XII. 

Find  Thou. 

XIII. 

For  Love. 

XIV. 

Self  Love. 

XV. 

A  Woman's  Heart 

XVI. 

Sympathy. 

XVIt. 

Worn. 

XVIII. 

Wifehood. 

XIX. 

Communings. 

XX. 

Attainment. 

XXI. 

All  Things. 

XXII. 

Well,  Doing. 

XX)II. 

An  I  Invocation, 

XXIV.  The  Warfare. 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

%  Ipraser. 

Come,  sweet  Forgiveness,  come, 

Dwell  in  my   heart   like  sweet  perfume, 

And   let   those  odors  rise 

Of  flowers  when  trampled   on ; 

I  need  some  saving  grace, 

To  keep  my   soul  in  place, 

To   keep  my   soul   in   Heaven. 

For  life  is  oft  a  pain ; 

A  blow  from  those  we  love ; 

How  shall   we  win  them  back  again 

Without  forgiving  Love  ? 

Come,  sweet   Forgiveness,   dwell 

Within  my  heart,  like  brooding  dove ; 

How  can  we  change  the  Earth  to   Heaven, 

If  not  by   patient  Love  ? 

Did   not  one  say, 

"Father,   forgive  them, 

They   know  not   what  they  do;" 

So  may  my  heart  forever  say. 

They  know  not   what   they   do. 


ILove. 

Love  is  a  morning  glory  ! 
Love  is  an  evening   star! 
Love  is   an   angel   in   disguise. 
Who   found   the  gates   ajar! 
Love   bears   a  patient  heart. 
And   hides  the  wound  that  grieves- 
Love  is  an   angel's  sacrifice — 
And   Love  shall  be  the  sheaves  I 


IDEALS    OF    THE 

Love  dwelleth   on   the   Earth, 
Hath   dwelt    lierc   from  her  birth  ; 
She  is  our  hope  of  Heaven, 
Tho'   oft  by   war   'tis    riven. 
But  Joy,    bright  Joy   shall   sing, 
When   Love   shall   stay  her  wing: 
When   garnered   all  the  sheaves, 
There  shall   be  naught  that  grieves. 


Love  is   a  sun 

For  flower  and  field ; 

And   ferns  may  grow 

In  its  gentle  glow 

And   humbleness! 

Love  is  a  shield 

And    will   not   yield, 

Patience  and  tenderness; 

But   bindeth  them   fast 

To  the   hopes  that  are  past — 

And    'bideth  for  rest 

Within    thy  breast, 

And   waiteth  long 

For  his  happy   home! 

Yea — Love  did  say 

For  the  ancient  old. 

With  heart  so   strong — 

And   hand  so  bold — 

"I   will  be  with  thee, 

Th)'  troubles  to  bless; 

And  sanctify  to  thee 

Thy   deepest  distress!" 


IMMANENT     LOVK 


Yes,   yes,   I   know. 
Why  cold   winds  blow^. 

Why  storms  must  come 

And   hide  the  sun. 

That  seeds  may  grow ; 
That  soils  may  show 

Their  patient  tenderness, 

Their  willing  humbleness, 

Their  faithful  readiness. 
To  take  the  plough-share's  steel; 
To  bear  storm  throes,  then  kneel 
In  thankfulness  to  feel, 

That  Love  may  come  again 

And  find  a  greater  gain. 

The  seeds  shall  slowly  grow, 

The  spring  shall  surelj'  know 
Her  sister  summertime. 
When  joybells  ring  and   chime, 

When  plant  and   flower  haste 

Their  golden  fruit  to   taste. 

The  harvest  ne'er  is  lost. 

If  seeds  of  Love  are  tossed. 

And   Patience  pays  the  cost. 
Till   fall  the  ripened   sheaves, 
With  falling  of  the  leaves, 
The  glory-tinted  leaves  and  sheaves, 

That  gladly  earth  and  Love  receive 

Without  one  sad   regret  to  grieve. 


Ideals   op   the 


Bftermatb. 


Mj'^  soul  is   swept   of  fires — 

But  the  greenwood  springs  again: 

After  the  raging  fires, 

God's  peace  and  the  rain  again! 

Love's  morning  dawns  once  more,  my   Soul, 
Oh,   drink   renewed   thy  happiness! 
And  rouse  like  springing  spears  of  grass, 
Deserve  and   keep  the  sweet  control ! 


^be  Ibcigbts. 

Alone,   each  struggling  soul 

Must  bend  its   silent  way, 

To  yonder  noble  heights. 

Whereon  true  Love  doth  stay. 

True  Love,   that  can  forgive, 

That  loveth  Good  so  dear, 

It  nobly  can  forget. 

It  nobly  doth  forbear. 

Yea,  tho'  the  way  is  hard 

And  tho'  the  way  is  long, 

Forbear,   forbear,   for  Love's  dear  sake; 
Love's  gentle,   patient,   strong. 

True   Love  that  pierceth  thro' 

The  mists  that  veil  the  heights, 

fransfigures  ex'ry  hue 

With  soft  and   radiant  sight. 

In   ra3's  of  rose  and  gold, 

Love's  morning  beameth   bright ; 
And   aye  we  find  sweet  Joy 

Beneath  this  wondrous  Light! 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

%ove. 

Love  is  a  hope ; 

Love  is   a  pain  ; 

Love  is  a   truth   and  joy, 

Love  is  a  costly  gain  I 

peace. 

Sweet  is   Love's  curving  mouth, 
Thrilling  Avith  restless  rest ; 

Sweet,   sweet  is  the  passing  peace 

'Neath  the  deep  sea's  heaving  breast ! 


iWi^  Brmor. 

Good   humor  be   my   armor  bright, 
Encase  my   Soul  in  golden    Light, 
And  glint   with   sheen   of  shining  steel. 
That  never  Anger's  sharpened  shaft  shall  feel ! 


Bjcept. 

But  there  is  something  past ; 

Forever  past ;   and   yet 

Life's  wine   we  could   not   taste. 

Except  the  grapes  their  bloom   had   lost! 

ITbes  Cannot. 

Oh,   there  are   hearts   that  cannot   feel, 
And  souls  that  cannot   fly  ; 

Some  souls  that  cannot,   cannot   wake. 
So  deep  in  sleep  they  lie ! 


IDEALS    OF    THE 

■Qlntil. 

We  cannot  forgive 

Until   we  forget ; 

Then  let  us  forget,   forget, 

Then  let   us  forget  and   forgive! 

iffnD  XLbou. 

Renew  thy  steps,   refind   thy   way. 

Retrace,   recall  the  righteous   plan ; 

Along  the  toiling,   faithful   way, 
Find   thou   the  noble  "can." 


* 


jfor  Xovc. 

For  Love's  dear  sake, 

Softly  give  and  softly  take. 
For  Love's  dear  sake. 

Heart  be  true  and  hand  still  do. 


Self  ILove. 

To  thy  nobler,  better  self  be  true. 

And  let  not  Selfishness  again  renew 

The  ruin  thou  must  rue, 

fhe  sin  that  Sin  shall  do ! 


IMMANENT     LOVE  IO5 

B  "WHoman's  Ibeart. 

He  made  me  a  wife  and  mother; 

He  answered  my  young  heart's  call ; 
He  came,  he  sought  my  spirit, 

He  made  and  fastened  love's  thrall ! 

He  holds~me  fast;  shall  I  struggle 

Forjaught  beyond  "his  breast? 
Nay;  here  is  m3'  life's  sweet  haven — 

Love  hath  an  indwelling  rest. 

Back  ever  my  heart  "must  turn ; 

Humbly  it  sues  its  own; 
Love,  "be  ye  reconciled," 

Is  the  nearest,  the  dearest,  the  clearest 
Voice  of  the  Throne ! 


S^mpatb^, 

At  length  I  understand 

The  secret  of  that  sad,  deep  calm ; 

She  passed  him  by,  her  husband, 

As  one  who  could  not  — 

Would  not  —  understand 

A  sympathetic  tie! 

Perhaps  God's  angels  know, 

How  helpless  —  and  how  lonely  — 

A  woman's  soul  may  be, 

Linked  to  unsympathy ; 

In  them  she  may  confide. 

And  God  alone  shall  know ; 

Ah,  none  can  know  but  God, 

His  angels,  and  the  truth  that^  hides ! 


106  IDEALS     OF     THE 

"CGlorn. 

Over  on  the  other  side — 

Unto  the  bourne  so  far  away — 
With  eyes  of  longing  look  we  now, 

We  left  Life's  stronghold  at  midday. 
We  left  the  battle  to  the  strong, 

Amid  crushed  flowers  at  their  feet ; 
They  know  not  yet  the  way  so  long, 

Their  own  dear  thought  they  hope  to  greet. 
Renounce  your  wills — your  hurtling  strength  ; 

So  shall  ye  see  the  Shepherd's  paths ; 
So  shall  ye  hear  soft,  rustling  wings — 

And  find  the  blessed  aftermaths. 
Adown  the  hill — adown  the  slope — 

Across  the  river  to  the  plain  ; 
There  dwell  in  rest — no  more  in  hope — 

The  millions  of  the  worn  and  slain. 

MifcbooO. 

Peace  —  to  thy  wounded  soul ! 

No  knell  shall  tell  or  toll ; 

Oh,  balm  and  healing  swiftly  bring, 

On  some  strong  Angel's  wing! 

Close  unto  his  wounded  side. 

Pressed  the  Saviour's  spear,  O  bride ; 

Fast  they  bound  unto  his  life  — 

The  Saviour's  thorn,  O,  anguished  wife; 

Bear  thy  pain  as  Love,  like  Him  ; 

Let  no  tear,  no  tarnish  dim 

The  brightness  of  thy  wifely  crown ; 

Christ  for  thee  a  life  laid  down. 

To  show  to  thee  Love's  highest  crown ; 

Love's  enduring.  Love's  forgiving, 

'Mid  Life's  striving,  yielding,  living; 

This  is  Wifehood's  highest  crown. 


IMMANENT    LOVE  I07 


Communtngs. 

Each  conscious  soul  must  wake  to  strife, 
With  its  own  fate  in  battling  life  ; 
But  yet,  forget  not  to  compare 
One  life  with  many  lives  of  care. 

Sorrow  is  selfish  when  we  grieve 
For  self  and  self's  dear  love  alone ; 
Ten  thousand  lives  are  like  thine  own, 
And  thousand  lives  beg  Death's  reprieve. 

Then  why  not  endure  all  of  God's  test? 
Become  thus  free ;  grow  strong  and  rest ; 
Free  from  wrong,  and  th'  hindering  chain, 
Of  grief  and  care  and  bootless  pain  ? 

'Tis  written  "Seek  and  ye  shall  find," 
This  is  a  certain  rule  and  just ; 
Sooth  !  Wouldst  thou  scorn  the  laws  that  bincj, 
And  still  dost  ask  for  Heaven's  free  trust? 

Yea,  thou  must  conquer  self,  not  sin ; 
To  conquer  self  is  to  grow  strong ; 
To  conquer  sorrow,  conquer  wrong. 
And  thus  with  joy  to  "enter  in.'-' 

We  need  our  lot's  most  hard  conditions, 
That  we  may  learn  Love's  sweet  petitions; 
To  make  us  what  from  thence  may  spring, 
What  good  from  evils  can  we  bring? 


IDEALS    OF    THE 

What  is  the  meaning  of  Life's  sorrow? 
Ah !     Night  must  come  before  the  morrow : 
Sweet  sorrow  soon  has  second  sight, 
And  darkness  can  reveal  a  light  1 

Wouldst  thou  receive  naught  but  the  good. 
And  selfishly  reject  Christ's  food? 
Life's  good  and  ill  one  seed  were  sown, 
Reject  the  ill  —  some  good  has  flown. 

'Tis  not  Life's  good  all  tamely  given. 
That  were  an  easy  task  to  thee ; 
But  ills  we  conquer  lead  to  heaven. 
And  crown  the  soul  with  victory. 

attainment. 

Higher,  soul,  yet  higher. 
Still  higher,  wing  thy  flight; 
Live  and  love 
Without  sympathy, 
Doing  the  Right! 

Tho'  thy  thought  aspire 
To  all  the  empyrean, 
To  the  altitude  of  Truth, 
Yet  is  thy  conquered  self, 
Thy  noblest  work  of  ruth. 

Tho'  the  heights  be  not  attained. 

Their  holy  beauty  yet  remains ; 

The  Right  remains; 

And  Right  immutable, 

Shall  souls  sustain, 

Till  all  the  mount  of  God  be  gained  I 


IMMANENT     LOVE 


Stead  thee,  stead  thee,  my  soul, 
To  walk  the  narrow  way  ; 

To  climb  the  holy  mount, 

Where  God  and  Love  doth  stay. 

O  Love,  O  Love,  come  nigh 
And  be  my  steadfast  stay, 

Come  now,  dear  Love,  come  now, 
And  keep  me  in  thy  way. 

Love  canst  thou  not  be  all  things, 

All  things  unto  me  ? 
Wisdom,  Patience,  Faith  and  Hope, 

Strength  and  Charity  ? 

Hol)^  holy,  holy  Love, 

Faithful  righteousness ; 
Truth,  and  loving  faithfulness, 

God,  himself  is  this! 


TKHell  Doing. 

O  to  endure— O  to  fulfill— 
The  sweet  and  pure, 

Beloved  ideal ! 

Not  weary  nor  faint, 

But  ever  intent, 

On  each  duty  bent — 

To  climb  each  rugged  hill, 


IDEALS    OF    THE 


Skillful  and  swift, 

As  Angels  might  lift 
Their  wings  o'er  the  vales  of  Heaven 

Like  them  would  we  rise, 
Were  the  strength  Duty  given — 

For  which  evil  hath  striven  ; 
We  would  mount  to  the  skies. 


Oh  !  God  and  sweet  Heaven, 

On  earth  be  our  leaven ! 
May  we  fill  every  breath  ^ 

With  Christ's  spirit  of  life. 
Share  His  strength  in  the  strife  ;  ; 

In  conquering  self 
We  conquer  all  death. 


For  true,  the  life  divine 

Is  "not  my  will,  but  thine;" 

This,  O  Christ,  Thy  cross,  and  mine. 
With  its  burden  rife  ; 

O  my  brother,  friend, 

Blessed  Thou — teach  me  to   live, 

To  the  bitter,  faithful  end. 


To  lift  Life's  heavy  cross. 

And  silent  climb  the  hill ; 

To  do  Love's  patient  work, 
And  bear  its  greatest  loss. 

If  thus  it  seems  God's  will  ; 

Thus  didst  Thou  live  and  died'ss 

And  Truth  was  glorified, 


I 


IMMANENT    LOVE 


an  Unvocation. 


O   Love,    O   IvOve,    O   Love  !     thee  would   I   deify ; 
Unto  thy  pure  and  patient  soul,  serene  and  strong  and  high, 
Our  poor  and  weak,  yet  conscious  souls  must  sigh  ; 
Our  inmost  souls  must  reach  and  faint,  and  strive  and  cry. 


Unfailing  is  thy  subtle  strength,    thy  true  and  tender  tie. 
To  show  to  weary  Earth    Heaven's  sure  and  sweet  reply  ; 
To  keep  our  longing  hearts  Celestial  portals  nigh. 
And  from  the  "gates  of  Hell"    help  fainting  souls  to  fly. 


Thine   is  the   Arm   of  God ;    He  rules  when   we   descry 
In  thee  the  power  of  Christ,  to  truly  live  and  die  ; 
Thou  art  the  promised  vision  :    our  souls  and  life  rely 
On   Love,   the   blessed  spirit,    that  God   and  Christ   ally. 


Oh   heart,    look   unto  Love,  and  Faith  with  Love  shall  vie, 
Uphold   the  fainting   Earth,    as  Love   holds  Heaven's  sky; 
Along   the   eternal  valley  the   olden   shadows   lie  ; 
But  still   one   star  is  shining.  Oh,  Love  hath  told  us  why. 


Yet  Love,  Oh,  Love,  we  know  thee  not  ; 

Fain  would  our  souls  comply 

With  all  thy  gentle,  gracious  will,  be  guided  by  thine  eye; 

Amid  the  storms  of  passion,  the  wrecking  waves  so  high, 

Love,  save  us,  or  we  perish;  Oh,  hear  our  failing  cry! 


IDEALS    OF    THE 


^be  Marfare. 


Spirit  of  Love  and  Life  ! 

That  strivest  still  with  man, 
Oh,  rest  our  souls 
In  perfect  peace — 

While  we  abide  Thy  plan  ! 

Possess  our  souls ! 

May  we  lay  down, 
As  Christ  to  Thee, 
Love's  purest  crown. 

Humility  ! 

Rest  not  our  souls  1 

Till   patient,  we 
Agree  to  all  Thy  plan  ; 
Until  we  see 

God — in  the  perfect  man  ! 


IBooli  tbc  Seventb, 


* 

A 

STONE  OF  CHRYSOLITE 

^ 

I. 

So  He  Giveth. 

11. 

The  Life  of  Nature. 

III. 

Both  Law  and  Love. 

IV. 

Nature  and  God. 

V. 

Within  the  Law. 

VI. 

Two  Kingdoms. 

VII. 

The  Ideal  or  the  Real 

VIII 

.     Christ's  Thought. 

IX. 

Duty. 

X. 

The  Holy  City. 

XI. 

Truth. 

I 


IMMANENT     LOVE 


So  Ibe  ©ivetb. 


That  lonely  cry, —  far  off, 

In  night's  deep  veil, 

What  means  it  to  my  soul  ? 

An  unknown  life  is  there, — 

A  voice  so  sad,  so  wierd,  so  lone.    .     . 

Cuckoo  !     Aha  !     Is  that  the  cry. 

So  sudden  now,  and  near? 

What  now?     What  seekest  thou. 

Wild  wanderer,  in  thy  flight  ? 

Hast  thou  no  fear?     Lov'st  thou  the  night." 

The  moon  and  stars  are  thine. 

The  sleeping  flowers  and  cooling  drops  of  dew, 

The  mockbird's  nocturne, 

And  the  sea's  soft,  pulsing  beat?     .... 

Thou  keepest  on  a  footstool — 

Close  by  Nature's  feet! 

Thou  sendest  prayers  up  to  her. 

When  darkness  hides  her  face, 

And  ever  thus  she  finds  thee. 

Still   trusting  to  her  grace  ! 


^ 


Zbc  Xlfc  of  mature. 

O   God,  Thou   art   the  loving   life  of  Nature — 

Her   spirit   of  beneficence,    her   infinite,    pure   soul ; 

The  mother  heart  of  Nature 

That   shelters   all  her  creatures ; 

Thou  art,  indeed,    "  our   Father  ;" 

In   Thee   and   her   as   soul   and   body  joined, 

The  wondrous  life,   the  mystery  of  creation  lies. 

Thou  dost  exist:  if  we  have  heart ; 

Then  must  we  see  and  know  the  counterpart. 


Il6  IDEALS    OF    THE 

God   is  the  gracious   Spirit,    power  for  good, 

That  shall   all   evil   overcome 

As  heretofore  ;    th'  undying  essence 

Of  Love's  aspiring  breath, 

Blessing  each  creature  and  its  circumstance. 

Yea,  have  we  found  Thee,  happily  know  Thee  now. 

Love  hath  revealed  Thee  unto  love ! 

Throughout  the  universe,  beneath 

The  vast,  eternal  dome  of  empyrean  walls, 

Thro'  all  the  circle  boundless, 

Pulsates  a  mighty  life, 

And  orbs  of  fire,  and  men  with  thought,  have  breath ! 

Still  doth  God  bring  order  from  chaos. 

When  moves  the  pure  Spirit  on  slow,  healing  wing  ; 

As  in  the  beginning  was  formed  the  first  thing, 

So  worketh  He  wonders  while  still  the  stars  sing ! 

Perpetual  motion  is  the  rest  of  Thee — 

Impenetrable  power  and  mystery  ! 

Thy  living  forces,  ever  undecreased 

While  stands  inertia's  law,  that  cannot  cease. 

Restrain  dark  evil's  strange,  permitted  sense. 

By  sure  and  steadfast  laws,  by   Truth's   omnipotence. 

Because  God's  love  with  Nature's  work  doth  blend. 

All  things  are  overruled  to  greater  ends. 

Because  God's  self  is  Nature's  infinite  great  life. 

The  universe  of  mind  and  matter  is  blessedness  not  strife. 

Yea,  man  may  measure  many  worlds. 

But  never  once  —  the  invisible,  the  all. 

The  wondrous,  wide  unknown, 

God's  own  eternal  thought  and  home! 


IMMANENT    LOVE  117 


asotb  ILaw  anD  ILove. 


Tho'  burst  a  sun's  bright  ball  of  fire, 

New  suns  are  ranged  around  a  sire  ; 

Tho'  planet  world  turn  meteorite, 

The  aeons  bring  Love's  seeds  to  light; 

Tho'  poison  live  beside  the  bread, 

God's  law  of  Love  forbids  it  wed ; 

The'  dies  a  man,  his  soul's  free  fire, 

May  onward  speed  to  his  desire: 

All  things, —  Christ's  lilies  and  the  sparrow, — 

Do  know  the  Love  of  God; 

What  else  —  a  bird's  life  or   a  flower's, 

But  sweet,  upspringing  Love  — 

The  beauty  and  the  breath 

Of  wondrous  Nature  ? 

And  when  the  sparrow  falls, 

Its  hungers  all  are  ended ; 

God  is  good  ;  some  gracious  law  hath  understood 

Why  its  short  day  is  ended ; 

So,  too,  both  Law  and  Love  may  read. 

When  souls  of  men  are  ripened  seed ! 


IRature  an5  (3o&. 

They  say  He  shows  no  mercy  there 
When  the  Right  we  did  not  do ; 
Alas!     She  shows  no  mercy  here 
When  the  Right  we  do  not  do! 


Il8  IDEALS     OF    THE 

Mitbin  tbe  ILaw. 

There  is  a  power  outside  of  us, 

Outside  of  Earth ;  'tis  Nature  ; 

She  "sits  centered  in  her  myriads"  of  stars  — 

And  Nature  hath  done  wisely,  lovingly, 

'Tis  only  man  that  mars ; 

'Tis  man  in  ignorance  or  self-will, 

Who  lays  the  source  of  every  ill. 

Ah,  IfOve  !  God  hears  not  ?  All  in  vain. 

Our  souls  crj'  out  in  grief  and  pain  ? 

Ah,  naj' !  within  His  sure  and  steadfast  laws 

Lies  hid  the  germ  of  every  cause ; 

Nature  is  Life,  she  is  God's  hand  and  brain, 

Hath  wrought  of  self,  Life's  wondrous,  endless  chain  ; 

Make  haste  her  loving  law  to  scan, 

And  lend  thy  life  into  the  plan  ; 

Then  for  thine  own  and  others'  weal. 

Shall  knowledge  come  with  grace  to  heal. 

A  soul  in  Nature  underlies 

Her  atoms  and  her  laws ;  it  lives,  it  flies 

Thro'  out  the  Universe,  from  rock  to  rose, 

From  star  to  sun ;  and  aye,  within  the  Law, 

The  Great  Heart  grows;  the  Omniscient  One, 

Ascending  still,  and  joined  unto  her  cause, 

Inscrutable,  still  lives  within  her  laws; 

He  dwells  in  Beauty's  starry,  sacred  soul. 

In  Aspiration's  upward,  noble  goal, 

In  humble  Duty's  patient,  labored,  strong  control; 

Transparent  germs  evolved  in  light, 

Take  form  and  color,  wonders  bright, 

Each  one  but  shares  some  world's  delight  ; 

And  to  the  sphere  and  sorrowing  mortal's  soul, 

God's  times  and  seasons  must  unceasing  roll, 

Till  perfect  all  in  Wisdom's  fair  control ; 


IMMANENT    LOVE  '  '■9 

To  outward  eye,  to  inward  sight, 

He  is  revealed  —  the  eternal  truth,  the  Light 

Divine,  in  Beauty,  Fitness,  Right: — 

And  tho'  no  form  to  Spirit  we  conceive, 

Save  in  the  forms  that  Nature  gives — 

While  Being  moves,  and  Being  lives. 

Yet  in  Love's  spirit  may  our  hearts  perceive 

The  God  in  whom  all  worlds  believe  ; 

"God  is  a  Spirit,"  and  this  subtle  sense 

Shall  still  be  man's,  and  ages  hence 

Dawn  into  Beauty  more  intense. 

Indissolubly  joined,  all  beauteous  Wisdom,  perfect  Love, 

Still  must  we  say,  the  Life  is  God  above, 

His  spirit  and  His  form  —  the  Universe  and  Love! 


Cwo  Iking Doms. 


There  are  two  kingdoms  —  one  without, 

And  one,  Christ  taught  us,  lies 

Within  the  heart ; 

The  outward  kingdom.  Nature's  real, 

The  inner  —  God's  pure,  high  ideal; 

These  two  combine  in  one. 

Compel  us  to  our  fate, 

Yet,  holds  aspiring  man  the  key  — 

The  perfect  Good  and  Beauty  of  both  worlds. 


IDEALS     OF     THE 

Jibe  UDcal  or  tbe  iRcal. 

The  ideal  joins  the  real ; 

Nature,  the  real, 

God,  the  pure  and  high  ideal. 

The  highest  height 

Of  the  material  real; 

God,  the  infinite,  living  power, 

That  dwells  within,  beside  — 

Beyond  the  natural  real. 

And  acting  ever,  only  b}'  and  thro' 

His  own,  the  embodied  real ; 

The  perfect  Spirit  of  the  whole. 

The  Universal  whole  that  shall  be  all. 

Nature  and  God  are  one. 

Upon  the  heights ; 

God  is  brightest  Truth  unveiled  — 

The  pure  ideal  made  real. 

Christ's  Godlike  thought. 

Is  of  man's  real  action  wrought, 

And  its  still  life  or  power 

Nor  measured  by  its  hoiur; — 

The  Present  is  the  Future's  dower, 

And  thus  with  God  do  we, 

With  Christ  in  Love  made  free  — 

Dwell  in  His  far  Eternity. 


Cbrist's  C^bougbt. 

Help  —  to  the  poor  and  wretched  brought ; 
Salvation  —  knowledge  to  the  wayward  taught ; 
Meekness  of  heart  —  and  trust  in  God,  still  sought. 
While  yet  we  carry  on  Truth's  battles  that  are  fought, 
Nor  let  the  good  work  Love  has  gained  —  be  nought ! 


IMMArfENT     LOVE 


Dut^. 

O,  Duty  wears  the  robe  of  Beauty, 
And  sings  her  noblest  song — 
She  reigns  forever  in  her  heart — 
She  wears  her  starry  crown ! 

Her  soul  beams  through  her  eyes 
Like  light  from  holy  skies ; 
Like  Truth's  own  ray 
Of  light  and  love ; 

Shining  upon  her  path, 

An  inw^ard  light  that  burns — 

A  light  unto  her  feet, 

And  unto  all  she  meets. 

Duty  is  Love  and   Duty  wins, 
By  Love  all  things  are  won ; 
Earth  has  no  greater  name  than  this, 
For  God  and  Love  are  one. 

Greater  than  faith  or  hope. 
Greater  than  Justice  true. 
Greater  than  life  or  death — 
Her  loving  Charity. 

And  Duty  waits; 

To  enter  at  the  beauteous  gate 

She  is  resigned  to  time, 

To  time  and  fate. 

She  works  and  waits ; 
She  builds  the  pearly  gates, 
The  heavenly   walls 
Of  Blessednes§, 


IDEALS     OF     THE 

And  holy  Duty  faileth  not, 
For  lowly  Duty 
Ceaseth  not 
To  watch  and  pra3'. 

Patient,  earnest,  faithful  Duty. 
Hopeful,  helpful,  kindly  Duty, 
With  the  seamless  robe  of  Beauty. 
God-like  and  eternal, 
Is  a  guide  and  stay. 


^be  IbolB  Cit^. 


To  do  and  be  the  thing 
That  is  a  power  for   Right, 
Makes  Joy's  pure  angels  sing, 
And  hail  Love's  starry  light. 

O  radiant  Love, — thou  Star  above, — 
Thy  rays  gleam  white  thro' all  our  night. 
And  in  the  clear  and  crystal  air. 
That  beameth  aye  so  brightly  there, 


We  may  The  Holy  City  see. 
That  shall  a  rest  and  refuge  be ; 
There — Truth  with  loving  face  and  heart, 
Bides  by  all  and  takes  their  part. 


IMMANENT     LOVB  t23 

tTrutb* 

O,  quench  not  the  light 
Of  the  Spirit's  sweet  sight; 

Still  not  the  voice  of  the  soul 

When  the  flood  tides  roll. 

Truth  may  go   hide 
In  the  light  of  the  sun, 
She  is  so  fair  and  clear; 
You  may  find  all  the  rest 
By  her  light  alone, 
You  cannot  find  her  peer! 

Kaleidoscopic  Truth, 

She  turns  again ; 

Within  her  crystal  telescope 

Another  form  and  color. 

Unto  the  selfsame  star  appears! 

Turn,  turn  again,  fair  Truth, 

Unto  our  waiting  eyes ! 

Truth,  that  springs  on  living  w^ings, 

Still  higher  sings  and  flies ! 

Her  song  so  sweet.  Earth  shall  repeat, 

Till  all  adown  her  blessed   streets, 

With  mortal  voice  yet  rythmic  beat, 

The  deep  refrain   shall  swell 

Unto   a  Savior's  feet! 

Till  sounds  "The  world  redeemed," 

Where  Earth  and   Heaven  meet ! 

Like  chiming,  clear-toned  bell. 
Across  a  far,  far  sea, 

Truth  calleth,  long  and  well , 

Unto  a  City  free! 


IBook  tbc  ]£iGbtb, 

A  STONE  OF  BERYL. 

I.  Midway:    or  the  Flower  of  Divinity. 

II.  The  Dayspring. 

III.  ThE  Spirit  and  the  Temple. 

IV.  Like  as  a  Father. 

V.  God's  Kingdom. 


I 


I 


IMMANENT     LOVK  12? 

/IRiDwas :  or  Zbc  jflower  of  Divlnttij. 

O,  the  heights  and  the  depths  of  Infinityj! 

Is  it,  when  questioned,  but  misery? 

Is  the  boundless  circle  from  center  to  span, 
A  forbidden  realm  to  the  mortal,  man? 

Do  angels  guard  with  flaming  sword, 

The  secret  of  Life  from  the  spoken  word  ? 

Do  they  watch  our  souls  from  the  other  side, 
And  live  with  God  while  our  woes  betide. 

O,  winged  Thought!     Thou  wouldst  venture  far  — 

Thou  wouldst  ascend  to  the  highest  star. 

Pierce  thro'  the  dark,  cleave  thro'  the  gates. 
Enter  and  know  Immortalit)'  waits ; 

Nay,  yearning  soul,  thus  Lucifer  fell 

Down  to  the  awful  depths  of  hell ; 

Midway  —  to  the  steadfast.  Earth  is  given, 
Thou  art  God's  own  —  create  it  heaven! 

Now  is  Eternity  —  God  is  the  Higher  ; 

Endure,  abide  and  carry  His   fire; 

If  thou  have  strength  to  bear  with  Love's  grace. 
Thou  shalt  be  worthy  to  stand  in  His  race  ; 

Yea,  could  the  high  heart  fulfill  ev'ry  grace. 

Thou  shouldst  know  God,  as  Enoch  His  face. 

Love's  spirit  is  God  —  Yea,  Nature,  the  power, 
That  out  of  her  mortal  evolveth  Love's  flower ! 

Nature  alone  is  the  root  of  Divinity, 

But  the  crown  is  Love  —  in  Humanity  ! 

^be  2)as6pring. 

Oh,  God,  when  Thou  sendest  Thy  bright  sun  and  morning. 

Send  to  my  sleeping  heart  Thy  precious  shining; 
When  the  wide  world  is  blest  with  Thy  dawning. 
Wake  my  sad  soul  from  its  deep  troubled  pining! 


128  IDEALS     OF      THE 

Streams    the   Light   to   the  green,   breathing   Earth    with 
Love's  story — 

Unchanging  and  clear  the  Dayspring  on  High; 
O  Love,  lift  the  cloud-spots  that  darken  His  glory 

That  ever  God's  presence  may  seem  to  me  nigh  ! 

Zbc  Spirit  anD  tbc  temple. 

The  Spirit  of  Love  is  nam^d  God, 
Winging  up  through  flame  and  sod; 

Perfection,  Blessing  is  His  name, 

Tho'  out  of  bitterness  it  came. 

Mercy  with  Justice,  still  He  sends. 

Mid  all  the  evils  that  Life  lends; 

And  what  is   Love  but  all,  I  ween. 
Of  Justice  that  the  world  hath  seen? 

Tho'  Judgment  fall  on  striving  Pride, 
Yet  Love  may  sit  His  throne  beside  ; 

0  gracious  Love!  thou  holy  ghost — 
Thou  Spirit  blest,  yet  banished  most! 

Around  the  Earth,  from  low  to  high, 
God  to  each  soul  is  always  nigh; 

Ever  the  just  may  reach  His  heaven. 
To  Truth  and  Trust  His  name  is  given. 

Each  in  himself  must  seek  for  God, 

Must  raise  His  temple  from  the  sod ; 

How  fair  the  building  Christ  could  raise. 
The  world  still  loves  to  bless  and  praise. 

Thy  soul's  the  place  that  God  requires; 

Amid  its  ardors  and  its  fires. 

Burn  incense  and  make  sacrifice 
To  Love,  the  Holy  One ; — be  wise ! 


IMMANENT     LOVE  1 2g 


**%i\{c  as  a  afatbcr." 

"Like  as  a  Father,"  the  Psalmist  says, 

That  Spirit  of  Beneficence  that  crowns  our  days 

With  daily  bread. 

With  sunshine  and  with  finer  food  ; 

Earth's  fathers!    Are  ye  good, 

That  Christ  should  reckon  you  in   brotherhood, 

And  say  the  bread  ye  give  is  good  ? 

Blessed   Nature!     That  could  create 

Father  and  child !     Her  noblest  power 

Amid  "the  wreck  of  matter, 

And  the  crash  of  worlds!" 

Blessed  Nature  !  mighty  mother. 

That  of  her  virgin  Life 

Created  man  —  similitude 

Of  Abba,  Father, —  that  spirit 

Of  blessing  and  to  bless  ! 

How  a  father's  heart  yearns 

To  bless  his  child ;  even  so, 

Great  Nature  blesses  us, 

And  lo,  with  Christ  we  cry, 

Abba,  Father  1 

Man  is  a  child  of  the  Divinity  — 

The  high,  the  noble,  pure. 

The  beautiful,  the  good,  the  true  — 

That  is  evolved  from  the  long  race  of  worlds  and  men. 

And  tending  to  the  promised  Heaven  on  Earth  ! 

God  reigns  in   Heaven, 

Good  reigns  in  every  place  ! 

Good  is  His  Holy  Name ! 


IDEALS    OF    THE 


©oD's  IKina&om. 

"Thy  Kingdom  come;" 

Ah  me!   my  heart, 

Hear'st  thou  the  Lowly  One  ? 

Except  ye  be  as  humble  children. 

Forgiving,  gentle,  like  a  child, 

Ye  cannot  dwell  j'our  little  space, 

Within  a  Holy  Place! 

Love  led  the  wise  men^ 

Love  was  Christ's  star; 

The  guiding  star 

That  led  men  thro'  ages  to  God  I 


Boof^  tbc  mtntb. 

A  STONE  OF  TOPAZ, 


I.  Trials, 

II.  Sons  of  God;   or  Faith, 

III.  0  Lord,  Help! 

IV.  Our  Father. 

V.  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 

VI.  And  Love  Shall  Be, 
vii.  In  as  Much. 

VIII.  The  Master. 

IX.  Easter  Bells. 

X.  Thy  Will  Be  Done, 


IMMANENT     LOVE  133 


trials. 

I  know  not  how,   I  know  not  where, 

I  only  know  He  answers  prayer! 

When  backward  I  look,  far  down  the  dim  way, 
My  trials  were  blessings  that  I  could  not  stay ! 

I  thank  Thee,  dear  Father,  for  this  heavenly  glimpse, 
Transfiguring  life ;  my  heart  shall  not  wince ; 

Hereafter,  when  pain  m£.y  fall  to  my  lot — 
I'll  know  'tis  Life's  lesson,  that  pain  it  is  not! 


^ 


Sons  of  ©oD ;  or  jfaitb. 

Unto  Thee,  unto  Thee  be  all  glory, 

Unto  Thee  my  spirit  shall  sing ; 
Now,  as  then,  with  the  Psalmist's  sweet  story — 

He  restoreth  my  soul  while  I  sing ! 
He  leadeth  beside  the  still  waters — 

For  His  own  name's  sake  giveth  rest ; 
Ah!  God  and  our  Father  hath  daughters 

Who  love  Him  as  that  Virgin  blest. 
Who  took  her  sweet  babes,  yea,  as  from  Him, 

When  first  to  her  bosom  they  pressed ; 
And  tho'  man  may  still  cruelly  lead  them. 

And  the  sons  from  the  mother  may  wrest. 
Yet  once  God  gave  her  his  blessing, 

And  close  to  Christ's  life  came  His  power, 
Then  will  He  not  save  to  the  uttermost, 

All  the  world,  whom  He  gave  to  that  hour? 


»34  IDEALS    OF    THE 


©  %ox^,  "IlDelp! 


Thou  canst  not  find  Him 
Save  in  His  holy  ministers  ! 
Thou  canst  not  look  upon  His  face, 
But  only  join  thee  to  His  grace  ! 

Yea,  the  powers  that  be 

Shall  hear  thy  prayer  ; 

Nay,  not  that  prince,  so-called. 

Of  the  powers  o'  the  air, 

But  those  angels  God  has  charged 

Concerning  thee ;  their  care  have  we, 

Since  God,  the  sovereign  one. 

Must  have  his  ministers! 


O,  sovereign  power  of  Love  — 

Thou  Name  of  God, 

The  Almighty  One  ; — 

How  doth  thy  holy  personality 

O'ershadow  all  our  helpless  prayers  ! 

Yea,  if  it  be  "God's  will," 

We  are  —  must  be  —  content. 

Because  his  Name — His  Name  is  also  Law! 

Not  e'en  His  angels  live  outside  of  Law, 

Then  why  should  we  forget 

To  keep  within  the  righteous  way. 

To  understand  the  Law? 

Some  day  we'll  have  Go4's  patience, 

And  we'll  walk  in  Wisdom's  way. 


IMMANENT    LOVE  1 35 


"©ur  ffatber." 

Yea,  bear  it  all  —  yet  still  revere 
His  Holy  Name;  "Our  Father,"   God, 
Cannot  revert  the  Eternal  ha-w, 
But  to  thy  heart  He  bringeth  grace. 
He  bringeth  peace  and  trust. 

That  wondrous,  all-pervading  Soul, 
Creator  of  more  forms  of  Life, 
Than  culminate  in  man,  the  mortal. 
Whose  power  divine  is  delegated  to 
The  soul,  the  sense  immortal. 

God  is  the  Father  of  thy  son  —  of  mine, 
If  but  he  call  Him  by  that  name. 
And  blindly  groping  in  his  youth. 
Turn  toward  th'  unseen  Soul  afar. 
That   answers  to  his  reverent  wonder. 

"Who  made  us?"  says  the  child;  the  mother,  "God,  my  son. 
The  mighty  One  who  madS  the  stars  and  sun  ; — 
And  does  not  Science  on  her  rolls  of  fame, 
Say,  He  is  but  the  first  great  Cause, 
Or  Can  we  find  a  better,  holier  Name  ? 

God  made  us  and  he  leads  us. 
Inspired  souls  declare ; 
No  earthly  prayers  can  change  His  Law, 
And  unto  Nature,  His  Interpreter, 
Our  finite  wills  must  fain  submit. 

Yea,  bear  it  all,  and  still  revere 
His  Holiness ;  our  Father,   God, 
Cannot  revert  th'  Eternal  Law, 
But  to  thy  heart  He  bringeth  grace, 
He  bringeth  peace  trust. 


I3<J  IDEALS    OF    THE 


5e0U6  of  ina3aretb. 


He  taught  us  to  say  "Father," 
E'en  as  the  holy  men  of  old  ; 
He  taught  us  more  and  better — 
To  reverence  men  as  gold  ; 
As  temples  fit  to  hold 
The  witness  of  God's  holy  soul  ; 
As  those  to  be  forgiven — 
Yea,  seventy  times  seven  ! 
"They  know  not  what  they  do." 

Did  He  not  charge  us  "  work" 

While  yet  it  is  the  Day — 

And  still,  "behold  the  lilies," 

And  trust  a  Father's  care 

With  cheerful  hearts  alway? 

That  Father  is  the  same  both  yesterday 

And  to  all  days,  forever  ; — 

So — lives  the  Master  now — with  Love  and  God, 

Despite  one  fearful  cry — "Hast  Thou  forsaken  me?" 

To  trust  in  a  beneficent  Creator — 

Do  Earth's  work  ;   uplift  the  weaker, 

And  keep  each  man  as  brother. 

"Am  I  my  brother's  keeper?" 

Yea,  what  hast  thou  done 

With  the  feebler  one  ? 

Lo,  God  hath  said — the  voice 

Of  that  brother  crieth 

Unto  Me,  from  the  ground  ! 


IMMANENT    LOVK  I37 

Christ  was  God's  wisest,  loving  Son, 

And  Brother  to  all  men ; 

His  meekness  was  for  God,  alone 

The  only  Holy  One; 

His  wisdom  was  for  man — do  we  divine  the  plan  ? 

"Render  to  God"  true  Righteousness; 

"Purify  ye  His  Temples," — ye  are  His  Temples; 

This  first— then,  Caesar's  tithes — expedient. 

That  Wisdom  may  be  justified. 

atiD  %ovc  Sball  3Be. 

I  will  blot  out  thy  transgressions 
Saith  the  Lord,  and  remember  them 
No  more  against  thee  —  no  more: 
Neither  do  I  condemn  thee, 
Saith  his  Christ; 
Go  —  sin  no  more  — 
And  Love  shall  be! 

"Hn  Hs  /IRucb." 

How  easy  and  how  sweet, 
The  simple  draft  of  kindness  meet 
When  the  tired  wayfarer's  feet 
Bring  the  stranger  to  Christ's  seat! 

Zbc  /IRaster. 

He  came  before,  he  culled  the  olden  lore, 
Of  all  Earth's  earlier  Wisdom  he  gathered  golden  store ; 
He  added  to  it  Love;  his  purer  offering  then 
Was_chosen  first  —  of  God  —  and  by  his  fellow  men! 


IjS  IDEALS    OF    THE 

His  star  has  risen  —  o'er  the  world, 
And  He  has  risen  —  in  our  hearts, 
And  in  the  eternal  mansions  high, 
His  Spirit  hovers  —  in  the  Sky! 

Nay,  till  He  came  —  did  Love  remain? 
Did  any  worship  Love?  Or  pray 
To  that  sweet  Spirit  ever  nigh 
To  men  who  as  the  Dove  make  sigh 

For  Holiness  to  God?    Ah,  yes, 
The  Prophets  promised  men  ere  then, 
The  Day  should  come  when  all  the  Earth 
Should  ring  with  bells  of  holy  mirth ! 

When  every  care  should  pass  away, 
The  Holy  Child  become  men's  stay ; 
Now  with  His  trust  in  God,  they  cry  — 
We,  Father,  do  not  fear  to  die! 


XLb^  TlClill  me  ©one. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth  resigned 

His  life,  his  death,  0  God,  to  Thee,     .... 

This  lesson,  dear  Teacher  of  women  and  men, 

Thou  hast  taught  it  long,  teach  me ! 

Ah !     The  Infinite  Nature  that  placed  us  here. 

That  hears  our  loudest,  our  silent  prayer — 

In  Youth  we  turn  to  the  glow  of  a  Throne, 

In  Sorrow^  we  pray  to  a  Father,  our  own, 

But  in  Death  we  know  — we  are  only  —  God's  own! 


IBool^  tbe  ZTentb, 

A  STONE  OF  OHRYSOPRASUS. 

I.  The  Squid's  Dawn. 

II.  The  Day  of  the  Soul. 
HI.     Whose  Life. 

IV.  The  Voyage. 

V.  The  Voice  of  a  Star. 

VI.  The  Power  that  Works  for  Righteousness. 

VII.  If  Only. 


IMMANENT    LOVE  141 

^be  Soul's  Dawn. 

Ah!    Nature  we  love,  for  God  is  here! 

He  lives  in  Law  w^ithin  each  sphere ; 

Ah!     Wouldst  thou  find  his  listening  ear, 
Then  pray  to  men  and  God  will  hear. 

Slowly  and  surely  the  soul's  dawn  cometh. 

Wait  thee,  list  thee,  the  day  bee  hummeth ; 
"Behold,  I,  Alpha,  make  all  things  new," 
And  the  truths  of  Omega  are  also  true. 


XLbc  Dai5  of  tbc  Soul. 

The  Star  of  Truth!  O  Love,  hast  thou  found— 
The  "Light  that  never  was  on  sea  or  land!" 
Lo!     It  circles  the  Earth  —  as  God's  mighty  hand, 
With  an  amethystine,  crystal  band, 
As  far  and  fair  as  his  Science  'round. 
'Tis  the  Star  of  Heaven !     'Tis  the  light  of  a  sun 
That  illumines  the  soul  of  the  Righteous  One ! 
It  fills  the  Universe,  all  space  and  place, 
With  the  clear  bright  Life  of  the  Holy  One ! 

Truth's  star — gleams  from  afar  —  like  the  Milky  Way  — 

Like  the  Beauty  of  God  with  its  manyhued  ray. 

Encircling  all  spheres  with  the  whiteness  of  Light 

Like  that  radiant  Band  that  glows  in  its  might. 

While  His  Love  is  the  g\ory  that  brightens  Earth's  night; 

Yea,  it  shines  as  the  Polar  Star  —  alway. 

And  the  star  of  Life's  chart  is  Love's  truth  today ; 

In  the  Day  of  the  soul,  there  will  be  no  night, 

For  men  will  see  Truth  as  God  sees  the  Right ! 


IDEALS    OF    THE 


TKHbose  %iU, 


Wherever  you  go,  my  son, 

Thy  mother's  thought  goes  there ; 

No  place  can  ever  lose  thee, 

From  the  search  of  her  heartfelt  prayer. 

Ah  !  Love — the  tides  and  surges ! 

Swept  back  on  a  mother's  soul, 

When  a  man  for  the  sake  of  a  sin  will  break 

The  bonds  and  bars  of  Truth  in  twain  ! 

Pity  the  mothers  who  shame  must  bear. 
Mixed  with  their  agony  of  grief  and  prayer  ! 
Be  thou  a  son — like  that  Only  One — 
Whose  life  set  His  mother  throned  on  High  ! 


XLbe  Vo'eage, 

On  the  voyage  of  Life  each  ship  is  manned. 
By  a  crew  of  spirits,  blessed  or  damned  ; 
They  toss  the  bark  while  the  breakers  bound, 
And  lead  the  soul  to  that  awful  sound, 
Where  Death  calls,  Come!  the  port  is  found  I 

Sometimes  we  choose  our  spirit  crew  ; 

If  we  ask  Love's  help  they  are  pledged  to  be  true;  I' 

But  if  only  we  drift — then  the  evil  crowds — 

'Mid  the  wild  bursts  of  passion  loud — 

Strive  in  the  storms  like  spray  in  the  shrouds! 

Oh,  choose  of  the  blessed  ones  thy  crew ; 
The  spirits  of  Love  who  wait,  and  plead 
To  take  us  in  charge,  to  bless  our  deeds; 
'Mid  wrecking  rocks  the\'  point,  they  lead 
To  Truth — that  guides  our  souls  anew ! 


IMMANENT      LOVE  143 

^be  XDoicc  of  a  Star. 

One  mystic  shining  Star 
Adown  the  aisles  of  Heaven, 
Thro'  all  the  ages  —  beams 
Its  glories  from  afar! 

Along,  afar,  thro'  distance  down. 
From  Darkness  unto  Light ; 
It  was  the  brightness  then,  and  now 
Upon  the  far-off  heights ! 

Bright  is  the  nebulous  gleaming  veil, 
Wrapping  the  dark  Earth's  toilsome   flight! 
While  forth  from  the  far  intangible  trail 
Springs  the  white  clustering  Star  of  Truth ! 

Upon  the  golden  sphere 
The  sunspots  must  appear; 
Before  the  radiant  face 
Eclipse  and  clouds  draw  near ; 
But  the  Sun  of  Truth  shall  shine. 
The  Star  of  Righteousness  is  there! 

As  the  Pole  Star  in  night 

Is  her  voice  in  our  flight ; 

'Tis  the  voice  of  our  God; 

The  Angel  that  bears  up  the  Soul ! 

O,  bright  is  the  night. 

With  God's  ray  of  Light  — 

Perfection,  the  end,  and  Man's  goal! 

Zbc  ipower  tbat  IClorlks  for  iRigbteousness. 

0  soul!  the  good,  the  power,  the  Light 
Of  the  indwelling  Right — 
That  can  draw  other  souls  and  spheres 
Away  from  Darkness'  night!     .... 


144  IDEALS    OF    THE 

Does  God  not  say  that  Knowledge 
Is  power  for  good?    Yea,  Knowledge; 
Then  more  that  power  the  greater  good — 
And  God  is  only  good. 
Teach  men  to  pray  to  Good — 
And  be  a  god  themselves  in  doing  good, 
A  gracious  god  whose  name  is  Love, 
And  power  whose  name  is  Good. 
Ah,  Love  is  true  God,  and  Nature  the  power; — 
Then  pray  to  men  who  love,  God  hears  that  hour ! 
Go  seek  the  Star  of  Right- 
That  glimmers  through  the  moral  night; 
No  selfish  rights  for  self— Christ's  leaven 
Shall  help  us  enter  Heaven, 
Son,  gently  yield  the  way, 
And  then  behold  thy  swaj'^ ; 
The  soft,   sweet  strivings  of  the  soul 
Shall  gain  Love's  place  and  power! 
This  world  to  Nature's  son  was  given — 
A  Christ  to  make  it  Heaven ! 
Yea,  God  so  loved  this  world 
He  gave  that  blessed  One — 
To  show  that  men  might  win 
Their  titles  clear — like  Him  ; 
To  know  thy  God  is  but  to  keep 
Christ's  Golden  Rule  of  Rules ; 
For  God  is  Love  and  God  is  Good, 
And  Love  is  Heaven  and  Love  is  Good! 

Ever  beyond  is  a  fair  ideal, 
Ever  bej'ond — 'tis  the  shadowy  real; 
And  each  heart  yet  its  truth  shall  feel 
If  only  of  Life  be  Love  the  seal ! 


1Boo\{  tbc  lElevcntb. 

A  STONE  OF  JACINTH. 

I.  The  Spark  Divine. 

II.  His  Grace. 

III.  Tranquility. 

IV.  His  Own  Abode. 


IMMANENT      LOVE  H7 

Zbc  Spark  Divine. 

O  Love,  now  shine ! 

Thou  vital  spark 

Within  each  breast, 

Of  God  and  Truth  divine; 

Help,  spark  Divine, 

To  fan  the  flame  of  God, 

Within  this  failing  heart  of  mine, 

And  mortal  truth  refine. 

Oh,  keep  alive 

Forbearance,  Love, 

If  thou  art  true ; 

Does  God  not  promise  strength 

To  every  soul  that  leans  on  Him 

Within  its  cloistered  temple  ? 

Then  keep  alive 

Forbearance,  Love, 

If  God   be  true. 

O,  Holy  Lord  of  starry  hosts, 

Of  starry  battle  plains  on  high. 

Where  flash  like  awful  eyes, 

Thy  comets  thro'  Thy  skies; 

Is  it  in  vain  glory  nigh. 

That  one  so  weak  should  strive  to  keep 

Thy  peace  —  Thy  righteousness. 

Within  a  human  breast, 

And  be  like  Enoch  —  blest? 

Was  Christ  Thy  mystic  son  ? 
Once  said  the  Anointed  One, 
Thy  guileless,  truthful  son, 
•'E'en  as  the  Father  be  ye  perfect;" 


148  IDEALS     OF     THE 

But  we  —  can  only  worship  Thee 
In  sorrow,  while  we  fail 
To  be  like  Jesus,  faithful  son. 
Who  could  be  strong  and  ti'ue — 3'et  dumb- 
Before  a  weak  or  w^ayward  one. 

If  God  be  true. 

Love  shall  be  true ; 

Let  wounds  and  pricks  and  blows, 

Unheeded  pass; 

There  is  a  life  and  love 

With  God,  yet  not  above; 

O  Love  Divine,  reveal 

In  me,  the  love  I  see  in  thee, 

And  God  will  set  the  seal. 

O  soul,  within  the  inner  door, 

Lay  thou  upon  the  altar, 

The  sacrifice  of  Love ; 

'Tis  meet — 'tis  easier  far,  and  sweet. 

This  newer  gift  from  thee. 

That  God  requires  today ; 

To  prove  thy  faith  in  God, 

Keep  faith  with  Love, 

As  Christ  hath  shown  the  way. 


* 


Ibis  ©race. 

Too  much,  too  oft  I  strove  to  carry 

God's  cares  upon  my  mortal  shoulders; 

I  now  wll  lay  such  burdens  down. 

They've  crushed  me  oft  like  mountain  boulders ; 

The  world  sped  on  with  mortal  fate, 

Yet  God  withheld  the  awful  weight! 


IMMANENT     LOVK  149 

I'll  trust  my  dear  ones  to  His  grace, 

His  Love  and  righteous  Law  for  them; 

And  only  try  to  keep  my  place, 

By  holding  to  His  garment's  hem, — 

That  I  may  find  my  wandering  way, 

By  Him  who  is  the  Light  of  Day ! 

A  bruis-ed  reed  He  will  not  break. 

Nor  mortal  weakness  e'er  despise; 
He  bears  with  all  our  backward  slips, 

As,  stumbling  still,  we  reach  the  skies; 
Ah  Love,  thou  art  like  God — sublime. 
With  strength  and  comfort  for  all  Time! 


* 


I  cannot  sink — He  stills  the  waves ; 

I  float  upon  the  Living  waters ; 
At  last,  my  ship  comes  home  from  sea, 

And  finds  me  with  God's  daughters! 
Within  a  harbor  all  serene — 
Life's  treasure.  Love,  is  brought  unseen. 

Oh,  frail  the  vessels  mortals  hold — 

To  bear  the  weight  of  Heaven's  gold  ; 

Of  Faith,  of  Hope,  of  Charity, 

That  Wisdom's  holy  freight  should  be; 

Yet  Love  keeps  souls  upon   Life's  sea — 

Blest  with  God's  great  tranquillity. 


150 


IDEALS    OP    THE 


Ibis  ®wn  BboDe. 


Peace  like  a  river  flows  over  my  soul; 

Is  it  the  waves  of  the  Jordan  nigh  ? 

Turmoil  and  tempest  have  stranded  me  high- 
But  this  quiet  comes  on The  waters  roll- 
Away  from  Life's  shore  to  the  other  pole, 

And  sweep  me  in — to  a  haven  of  rest. 

Turmoil  and  tempest  within  my  breast, — 

The  bitter  fight  with  the  minions  of  Sin ; — 
But  time  has  vanquished  the  foes  w^ithin, 

God  has  given  me  strength  for  the  test ; 

Love — for  this  hour  has  been  my  guest, — 

And  made  my  heart  Christ's  own  abode. 


1Boo\\  the  twelfth. 

A     STONE     OF    AMETHYST. 

I.  The  Living  Garment 

II.  Groves  of  Academe. 

III.  An  Unstringed  Lyre. 

IV.  Infinite  Law — God's  Will. 

V.  A  Present  Heaven. 

VI.  Here. 

VII.  Sparks. 
vra.  Serenity. 

IX.  Eyery  Hour. 

X.  Thy  Morning. 
XL  Millennium. 

XII.  The  Wicked  Heart. 

XIII.  The  Holy  Ghost. 

XIV.  Man's  Stature. 

XV.  Praise. 

XVI.  The  Spirit  of  Love:    A  Thanksgiving  Prayer. 


IMMANENT     LOVE  153 

^be  Skiving  ©arment. 

Why  do  the  growing  trees  tend  upward, 
Why  do  the  happy  birds  soar  there, 
Why  do  the  helping  winds  range  upward. 
Why  does  the  blessed  Light  dwell  there. 
There — in  that  upper  air? 

What  higher  thoughts  do  the  mountains  own 
To  nearer  reach  the  Unseen  ? 
To  a  greater  glimpse  of  that  burning  Throne 
Whence  falls  the  Light  from  the  Unseen. 
From  the  Soul  of  God,  I  ween. 

Why  do  waves  of  Doubt's  ocean  lift 
Man's  soul  to  its  high,  wide  crest, 
But  to  show  Love's  light  thro'  the  rifts? 
O'er  Life's  far,  deep-heaving  track, 
God  calls  the  Atheist  back ! 

Back  to  Himself,  the  Soul  of  Nature, 
Whose  Universe  is  but  our  God, 
Creating  world  and  Creature; 
Her  name  is  Wisdom,  Truth  and  Love, 
His  w^ondrctts  name  is  —  Nature. 

0 coves  of  BcaDcmc. 

0  God;  Thy  world.   Thine  own  green  world. 

Of  sunlight  and  of  shade,   of  latticed  leaves. 

And  whispering  winds;  of  bending  boughs. 

And  little  twittering  birds  at  play 

Within  their  downy  nests  at  break  of  day. 

Is  wondrous  fair  and  beautiful. 

The  azure  haze  of  dawn  that  veils 

The  sudden  glory  of  thy  messenger,  the  Sun ; 


154  IDEALS     OF     THE 

The  rosy  clouds  that  twine  themselves 

With  streaks  of  white  and  golden  light, 

And  glow  within  the  mirror  of  the  silv'ry  lake, 

Are  like  the  beauty  of  Thy  holy  courts  in  Heaven! 

O.  what  could  be  more  fair  upon  the  upward  stair 

Than  Health  and  Beauty  in  this  world  of  Thine! 

Man's  life  is  oft  a  thing  too  far  apart  from  Thee, 

He  lives  in  palaces  and  hovels  of  his  Art, 

Nor  seeks  the  forest  and  the  stream, 

Where  happier  beings  dwell 

In  Nature's  true  and  deep  serenity ; 

Peace,  sweet  Peace,  is  Thine, 

And  sweetly  comes  to  him 

Who  seeks  Thee  in  Thy  Groves  of  Academe : 

Here  — In  thy  templed  courts  of  Earthly  power, 

Thy  creatures  all  are  messengers  to  man. 

And  tell  the  wonders,  the  goodness  and  the  glories 

Of  Thy  Name ! 

Bn  "UlnstrincjeD  %^xe. 

An  unstringed  L^'re  — 
Swept  o'er  and  scorched 
By  passion's  fire, 
My  dear  friend's  heart! 

Great  God  —  great  Nature, 
What  was  Thy  Law? 
What  broken  harmony  — 
By  her  unknown,  forgot? 

Forgotten  Law  ?    Dear  Love, 
Bring  back  —  bring  back 
That  stringed  instrument 
With  sweetest  sound. 


IMMANENT     LOVE  155 

Oh,  could  her  ears 

Once  more  redeem   our  hearts, 

No  sweeter  song  could  angels  sing. 

Nor  golden  thoughts. 

Than  we  to  her  would  bring ! 

Ah,   friend  so  dear,  thy  weakness   was 

Perchance  our  fault, 

Who  bore  not  greater  burdens 

For  thy  harrowed,  sorrowing  soul. 


infinite  Xaw  — ©oD's  'mill 

Thy  Spirit — Lord  of  mighty  hosts  on  Earth, 

Of  mightier  hosts  in  Heaven,  above 

This  footstool  of  Thy  glorious  power. 

Is  ours  to  w^orship  w^hen  we  will : 

Thy  pure  benevolence  that  planted  mother  love 

Within  thy  creatures'  breasts.  Thy  message 

From  the  Rose,  and  clouds  of  Summer's  dawn 

From  tree,   and  bee,  and  bird, 

And  prophet's  Heaven-sent  word, 

Is  ours  to  ponder  long  and  well ; 

Thy  stars  of  Night  —  that  hang  like  glittering  swords  — 

Warding  our  world  upon  its  sun-lit  path, — 

Thine  oceans  filled  with  wonders  to  the  brim. 

Sounding  for  ages  long,  their  awful  spheric  hymn, 

Thy  subtle  winds  that  wander  where  they  list, 

That  wind  and  whistle  while  they  rise  and  fall 

In  cadences  that  linger  and  recall 

The  w^hisper  of  Thy  Spirit  —  bear  Thee  witness  still, — 

Yet — mind  us  of  the  Law — Thy  righteous,  vvondrous  will, 


156  IDEALS     OF     THE 

On  mount  and  in  the  vale  Thy  thunders  sound, — 
While  the  fierce  hurricane  sweeps  round  and  round, 
And  lightnings  ceaseless  play  in  their  appointed  way ; 
Stand  off",  O  man,  this  ground  is  holy  ground, — 
Because  of  thy  poor  finite  strength,  respect,  revere  thy  God, 
And  learn  to  know  the  Infinite  Law  —  His  will. 

Ah,  Nature!    Still  we  love  to  call  thee 

By  Thy  Name  of  God, 

And  thank  Thee  for  the  old  memorials  of  grace ; 

To  sing:     Thou,  Lord  hast  led  us  on 

Thy  goodness  has  prolonged  our  days! 

We  know  —  we  feel  —  while  natural  law  we  must  fulfill. 

No  question  is  —  of  Love  to  us,  nor  Will, 

If  Death  should  come,  or  harm,  or  grief. 

For  of  Thyself — the  Law  is  made; — in  brief — 

E'en  of  Thyself,  the  Sun,  the  very  airs  we  breathe; 

Nor  shall  we  say  that  God  has  bid  us  grieve. 

Because  the  time  is  ripe  and  Law  can  run 

But  in  the  grooves  that  were  before  was  made  our  Sun; 

Yea,  we  should  know  the  Law  — and  if  of  aught  we  miss 

'Tis  not  what  God   hath  willed  to  us, 

But  of  our  ignorance  this. 

Because  we  recked  not  of  the   Infinite  Law  —  His  will. 


^ 


fl  ipresent  Ibeaven. 

Oh,  thank  the  Lord — for  ev'ry  time 

Of  beauty  and  of  best ! 

Another  blessed  Spring  has  come, 

God's  yearlj-  work  is  well  begun, — 

The  world  enjoys  the  flying  moments'  Sun, 

And  e'en  the  fragrant  air — is  Love  and  Rest! 


I 

f 


IMMANENT     LOVE 

A  nearer  truth  of  precious  Life 

Comes  with  these  glory  spells, 

And  makes  us  hold  our  slippling  coils, 

As  firmly  as  'twere  Heaven  itself; 

Perhaps  it  is;  this  glimpse  of  growing  fields. 

That  draws  us  near;  these  waving  boughs  of  green, 

These  sprays  of  pink  and  white; — 

These  new  bird-songs,  this  gentle  glorious  light; 

That  robin  in  the  path  sits  listening 

As  if  he  heard  my  every  word. 

And   wondered  what  comes  next ! 

Ah,  Robin,  did  God  give  to  you 

A  place  within  a  Heaven,  too? 

I  verily  believe  He  did ;  for  Joy — 

He  sits,  still  in  that  silent  mood. 

Watching  those  golden  butterflies  within  the  wood. 

Those  gnats  with  gossamer  wings. 

And  all  the  moving,  shadowy   things 

That  play  athwart  the  grass  and  gravel, 

And  then — he  sings!     Now  and  again — 

He  dances  with  that  small  gray  wren. 

Or  tilts  a  saucy  mocking  bird  ! 

Robin,  Robin,  this  is  Heaven, — 

Last  Winter's  storm  and  stress  were  given— 

To  prove  by  contrast  things  are  even! 

Ibere. 

Nature  is  an  impartial  mother, 
She  loves  one  creature  as  another. 
And  in  some  occult  way 
She  equalizes  all  within  her  sway! 
Men  claim  Eternity; 


158  IDEALS     OF     THE 

Has  God  or  Nature  promised  thee 

Such  Heaven  or  Hell  ?    Ah,  here, 

Sometimes  it  is  the  one, 

And   then  sometimes,  the  other; 

We  live  in  intermediate  states, 

And  high  or  low,  depends  upon  our  balanced  wills, 

While  God  upon  us  waits! 

Yea,  God  is  good;  tho'  Nature's  Law  may  seem 

To  lead  us  down  to  grief,  yet  strange, 

It  leads  us  up  again  to  things  we  deem 

E'en  nobler,  bettor,  wiser  for  the  change. 

We,  selfish — grasp  too  much, 

And  lose  the  willing  gift,  Today, 

Nor  thank  God  for  just  one 

Short,  happy  hour  of  Heaven ! 

Ah,  when  men  conquer  Sin 

And  make  of  Earth  a  Heaven! 

When  men  combine  in  Love 

To  help,  and  educate  to  Love 

In  all  the  widening  wa^-s 

That  Righteousness  approves, 

When  ev'ry  soul  of  man  can  feel — 

I  love  my  brother  as  myself, 

Yea,  better  than   mj'self, — 

And  find  delight  in  proving 

Their  hearts  are  filled  with  loving, 

Ah,  then,  dear  Life's  today  on  Earth  shall  be 

Our  certain  portion  of  God's  great  Eternity ! 

This  much  at  least  has  vouchsafed  He 

To  all  the  meek,  and  those  who  seek 

Not  but  to  find  His  face. 

His  pure  and  hoh-  dwelling  place. 

But  ever  for  themselves  —  some  better  Heaven! 

The  Heaven  God  ofifers  may  be  Here. 

"Yea,"saith  the  Christ,  His  Messenger, 

'"The  poor,  ye  have  always  vvith  you:" 


IMMANENT     LOVE  TSg 

My  poor,  whose  sufferings  shall  be  relieved 

By  men  in  Life  or  God  in  Death! 

Yea,  after  death  is  judgment  rendered, 

By  men  and  God  — to  all  —  of  all; 

By  men  who  dwell  on  Earth, 

By  God  who  dwells  in  good  men's  souls. 

And  in  the  Ev'rywhere. 

Yea,  Love  hath  said  —  God's  poor, 

If  men  neglect  them  here, 

Wake  then  within  some  other  Sphere, 

Where  better  angels   minister! 


Sparks. 

O  Lord,  Our  Father,  why  are  Thy  poor- 
Unclothed,  unwarmed,  unfed  ? 
Dost  not  Thy  heart  bleed  for  them? 
Are  we  Thy  Hands — 
To  carry  Manna  for  them 
In  the  world's  wilderness  ? 
Thy  ravens  gather  food. 
Thy  foxes  find  their  furr}'  beds, 
And  feed  their  young, — 
But  the  hungry  and  the  naked. 
In  Thine  image  made, — 

Thou  hast  left— in  cities  and  by  the  waysides- 
To  the  growing  mercies  of  his  brother,  Alan  ; 
Ah!  the  gentle,  yearning  Heart-- 
Of  the  coming,  Christ-like  man  ! 
Give  each  of  us— 0  Spirit  of  All  Good,— 
Of  Thy  wise  and  tender  Soul— a  part : 
Then  shall  we  be  vicegerents. 
And  of  kind  Divinity— the  flaming  sparks. 


l6o  IDEALS     OF     THE 

Serentt^. 

Thou  wonderful,  beautiful  Sphinx,— 

Peace — with  the  noble,  carven  face, 

Holding  thy  quiet  thought — thyself,  in  place. 

No  matter  what  the  rude  world  thinks. 
As  it  jostles  by. 

jEv>cr«  Ibour. 

Nay — hurry  not  one  day  ; 

Nor  wish  it  gone; 

Every  hour  is  a  present  blessing; 

In  Earth's  uncertain  span 

We  cannot  spare  one  day ! 

It  holds  the  Light  and  Youth ; 

Holds  all  we  know  of  Hope  and   Love 

Naj', — hurry  not — one  day, — 

Nor  wish  it  gone; — 

Love  must  prize  Life's  Living  Truth! 


^bs  /nbornlng. 

Ev'ry  morn  brings  a  new  day, 
A  glad  new  day  ; 
Whether  the  Sun  shines. 
Or  only  Love- 
To  light  the  way! 

After  the  longest  night, 

There  alwaj's  comes  a  morning ; 

So — after  the  night  of  Death, 

It  must  be  then — 

There  comes  another  dawning  1 


IMMANENT     LOVE  l6l 

How  it  eases  all  one's  care. 

To  see  the  way ! 

Tho'  it  may  not  be — joy, 

'Tis  blessing  that  disperses  fear, 

To  see  the  day ! 

And  so — my  Father  God,  I  w^ait — 
Till  after  Night  has  passed  ; 
Another  Day  of  Thine  is  dawning; 
If  Joy  Cometh, — 
Joy  Cometh  in  Thy  Morning] 

/IBillenium. 

O,  since  the  long  years  of  Earth's  fiery  youth, 
Man  has  oft  conquered  by  War  and   by  ruth ; 

But  Time  softly  treads  on  Love's  new-fallen  snows, 
And  gently  the  old  world  shall  reason  its  blows! 

^bc  Micl^eD  Ibeart. 

What  countless  ages  God  hath  striven 
To  purify  the  wicked  heart  of  Cain  I 
Witness  ye  wars  and  sin-cursed  slain, 
Ye  cruel  hatreds  that  remain! 
God  is  not  hidden,  nor  is  Heaven, 
And  Reason's  piercing  crown. 
On  every  towering  form 
Shall  change  the  darkest   sin, 
And  lift  Humanit}'  to  Him! 

^be  Ibols  ©b06t. 

The  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Dove, 

Are  Universal  Nature,  Man  and  Love ; 

Yea,  we  believe  the  Lord  of  starry   Hosts, 


IDEALS     OF     THE 

The  Spirit  and  the  Soul  of  Life  and  Lore, 

Is  maker  and  the  Father  of  all  men  ; 

"The  Power  that  works  for  Righteousness" 

Is  one  with  Christ,  the  typic  Man  and   Son^ 

In  all  that  Love  hath  ever  done  I 

God's  breath  of  Life  —  in  men, 

Christ's  life  —  in  holy  Love, 

Combine  these  all  in  One; — 

The  Almighty  Father  and  the  typic  Son 

Show  forth  one  spirit  —  Truth  and  Love, 

The  evanescent  Holy  Ghost  and  Dove! 

/lean's  Stature. 

And  if  the  dead — liut  cast-off  garment  be. 

Yet  still,  the  spirit  of  their  lives — 

Is  in  the  world  ;  if  righteous  influence,  it  must  be 

A  blessed  breathing  Life  in  meni'ry's  sphere, 

A  holy  Light — another's  path  to  clear. 

Men  are  as  clay — men  are  as  gods, — 

As  potter's  clay  with   Nature; — 

Yet  God  has  made  these  lesser  gods 

With  awful  powers:  with  wills  that  well 

Can  choose  for  Heaven,  or  weakly  sink  to  Hell. 

There  is  no  fault  in   Nature,— Deity ; 

The  sin — if  sin  there  yet  must  be, 

Is  in  the  failure  of  the  creature; 

Help — help  tliy  brother,  son  of  man, 

To  image  forth  God's  nature; — 

This  is  thy  stature  and  His  plan! 

Speed,  speed,  O,  Heaven,  thy  coming  Day, 

When  ev'ry  man,  when  ev'ry  child. 

Shall  all  be  taught  Love's  way; 

Be  taught  that  Love  is  God, — 

If  in  man's  soul  Love  stay. 

Then  shall  he  walk  with  God  ! 


IMMANENT      LOVE  163 

Ipraise. 

Oh,  Life  is  full*of  harmonies  — 

Of  Nature's  sweetest  harmonies; — 
And  oft  our  God  hath  deigned  to  bless 

With  all  Life's  power  of  blessedness ! 

I  thank  thee,  Soul  of  Nature's  life, 

Spirit  of  Love,  of  Hope,  of  Good; 
Of  Aspiration's  endless  strife 

To  bring  from  all  things  only  good  I 

Hath  Nature  then  no  conscious  thought, 

With  all   her  various  entities? 
Yea,  Man,  with  Love,  the  master  thought, 

Doth  speak  and  sing  her  entity! 
Where  does  the  Holy  Spirit  dwell. 

If  not  within  the  soul  of  creature? 
To  men  with  souls  the  stars  will  tell 

That  God  and  Love  are  one  with  Nature! 
Yea,  in  the  depths  of  man's  distress. 

He  know^s  her  ministrations ; 
Her  Spirit  then  is  Holiness, 

Thro'  trial  blessing  nations! 
Her  spokesman   wrought!     Thus  men  have  fought 

To  stand  for  God ;  have  died  for  Love  and  Nature, 
Her  name  have  legion  angels  brought. 

Her  messengers  are  every  creature! 
God  is  her  power;  her  power  is  God's, 

Sustaineth  every  creature; 
Shall  I  not  bless  and  pray  for  Love 

To  come  and  speak  for  Nature? 
In  Nature  is  all  Life  and  Love, 

Mind  and  environment  for  ev'ry  thing; 
From  man  to  her  shall  Love  return, 

And  with  the  morning  stars  still  sing! 


1 64  IDKALS    OF    THE 

In  Love  man  finds  the  entity, 

God's  stars  for  Truth  have  shone;     ^ 
Live  for  Truth  then  —  Live  thou   for  God  — 

Thou'lt  live  for  Love  alone! 
Nature  is  the  Eternal  God  ; — 

Her  perfect  human  son, 
The  Incarnate  God;  soul,  be  like  Him; 

True  Life  thou  shalt  have  won! 

Ube  Spirit  of  Xov>e— B  ^banftscjiwing  iprai^ec. 

"God  is  a  spirit;  and  seeketh  such 

As  worship  Him  in  spirit 

And  in  truth."    I  thank  Thee,  Lord, 

Lord  of  the  starry  Hosts  that  fill  Thy  sky, 

That  now  again.  Love  hath  revealed  Thee  unto  Love; 

Now  as  before  and  evermore — 

Thou  art  the   Lord  that  walks  with  men 

When  in  the  upright  heart  Love's  spirit  comesl 

All  through  the  human  race  Thy  spirit  moves 

The  hearts  of  men  to  deeds  of  Love,  and  greater  Love; 

To  swift  returning  Love  that  dwells  with  Thee, 

The  fount  of  Wisdom;  Spirit  of  all  Life,  and  source  of  Truth, 

Of  all  that  is  in  all;  well  might  the  Christ  of  Nazareth  say, 

"God  is  a  Spirit,"  and  the  Prophet  say  for  Thee, 

"My  spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man:" 

For  w^e  shall  know  Thee  as  Thou  art,  e'er  here  on  Earth  ; 

E'en  here  on  Earth  Thy  Kingdom  cometh  more  and  more. 

And  wiser  hearts  shall  guide  the  uplifting  hands 

That  seek  to  help  each  brother's  mortal  needs,  and  spirit 

needs, — 
Who  knows  Thee  not  as  Father  because  some  error  bars 
Thy  Light,  Thy  Lore.        *        *        *    Help,  mortal  Love, 
Thou  Holy  Spirit  in  the  heart  of  man, 
In  ev'ry  human  life  to  prove 
Thou  art  the  Love  that  proves  the  Love  and  Truth  of  God 


LOS  iUVG^jXES 


UCLAYoung  Research   Library 

PS3364   .Y27i 


L  009  620  978  8 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A  A    001  244  762    9 


■Ml 


m 


'}m 


'M 


iil. 
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